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There is obviously a major economic win associated with the initial pipeline and liquefaction facility construction required for LNG projects. The additional carry-on economic win from resource development however is the requirement to continually provide supply to sustain LNG volumes for the 30-plus year life of these projects. A 4.0 bcf/day LNG export terminal will require approximately 1.5 bcf/day of new supply created every year to offset declines. This, in turn, requires approximately $3.0-3.5 billion of capital investment ‘back in the Basins’ every year for decades – a massive repeatable economic win in terms of jobs, revenues, and taxes for the entire country.

The win from a Canadian LNG industry is just as compelling from an environmental performance and emission reduction perspective. Each bcf/day of LNG will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 15 MT/year if utilized to replace coal in electrical generation in the landed country. That same 4 bcf/day project we were considering would reduce annual emissions from the entire Canadian oil and gas industry by a full 25 per cent. If we choose to grow our Canadian LNG business to 10 bcf/day, we’re looking at an opportunity for Canada to lead the world in global emissions reduction.

And this is a true net reduction for the world. The atmosphere has no borders so replacing coal with gas in China or India is a true 60 MT/year reduction for the world. The second key consideration is that our Canadian gas industry produces on average the world’s lowest-emission natural gas, and our leading clean-tech industry is allowing us to get cleaner, faster than anyone else. The gas is going to be supplied to the countries that demand it; China, India and now Europe, whether Canadian methane molecules show up or not. The global atmosphere is a net loser in that case as the gas will be sourced from producing jurisdictions with a higher emission profile.

The final goal in our hat trick is scored by the opportunity to improve First Nation prosperity. The majority of First Nations in Western Canada are very supportive of oil and gas development as it’s seen as an opportunity for long-term, high-quality employment and a sustained higher standard of living. Be it Indigenous-owned service companies, a growing reclamation business sector, direct employment with producers, or equity investment in pipeline projects; the First Nations’ economic opportunities are myriad if we become a major global LNG player. We need to ensure this opportunity is not lost.

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/co...ick-for-canada