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Sentinel
Northern
Years est. 1954
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 60 No. 32
Apache to back off from Kitimat LNG Cameron Orr Apache Corporation is going to drop the Kitimat LNG project entirely, leaving Chevron as the sole proponent of the project for the moment. Apache didn’t indicate when the exit “Apache would occur in their intends to second quarter financial report. completely exit “Consistent with the company’s ongoing the Wheatstone repositioning for profand Kitimat itable and repeatable North American on- LNG projects.” shore growth, Apache intends to completely exit the Wheatstone and Kitimat LNG projects,” said their report. Wheatstone LNG is an Australian-based liquefied natural gas project. Kitimat LNG has all of its required permits but has been undergoing a lengthy front-end engineering and design study which would finalize a price tag and move the company towards making a final investment decision. Media reports had indicated Apache was under pressure by investors to leave Kitimat LNG, and the company had indicated they were interested in reducing their 50 per cent stake in the Kitimat-based LNG project. Apache spokesperson Paul Wyke said the company wasn’t providing more details other than what was included in their financial report. Their financial reports show Apache has spent $339 million on Kitimat LNG so far in 2014, $183 million in the first quarter and $155 million in the second. Between Kitimat LNG and Wheatstone the company has spent $894 million so far in the year. We contacted Chevron for comment about this announcement however the company said they had no comment at that time about what it would mean for their operations. Media report statements from Chevron Vice Chairman George Kirkland, from a conference call with analysts, who indicates the company is unconcerned with the Apache departure and that the company will move to find new partners in the project. In a conference call to investors Apache CEO Steven Farris confirmed the company’s earlier statement of its intention to fully leave the Kitimat LNG project. He said they’re also evaluating their international assets as the company focuses on their North American on-shore resources. Later, Apache spokesperson Bill Mintz told the Sentinel the company would not speculate where current negotiations for their stake in the project sit.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
$
1.30 INCLUDES TAX
A community barbecue supporting the Kitimat Youth Centre was held on July 31 at the Upper City Centre Mall. The event drew out many hungry supporters, along with volunteers from the RCMP, fire department and the Kitimat Council. Shown here is Blake Hawkins, Caroline Gonzalez, Lucy Borges and Matthew Holmes.
Directors want public input on MK Bay Marina “The question that’s never been asked of the Cameron Orr people who are mooring their boats down there If Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine Direc“The public and the people who launch their boats there...is tor Doug McLeod can convince the rest of the board of the same, voters will have a say in a refer- has never had whether or not they want to retain ownership.” He said he was spurred to make the motion endum regarding MK Bay Marina this November. the opportunity — he has also put up other notice of motions for McLeod gave a notice of motion last month to be involved possible referendum questions for November, infor the next RDKS meeting which would tack a referendum question to the ballot when people in most of the cluding Area C garbage collection and the prolocation for the Forceman Ridge landfill vote for their rural area representative. The Disdiscussions.” posed — because he realized too much was happening trict of Kitimat council appoints one of their own in-camera during the July board meeting. to the board to represent local interests. “The issue is we have a lot of people within The question, if passed, would be “Are you in favour of the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine retaining the bureaucracy, including our administrator, who has told me outside of the in-camera situation that he doesn’t want to be inownership of the MK Bay Marina? Yes/No.” The motion will be put on the floor at the board’s August volved in MK Bay Marina,” said McLeod. “There’s all kinds of things happening but at this stage there is no resolution passed 8 meeting. McLeod said he wanted public input because for over a by the regional district of Kitimat-Stikine to sell the MK Bay decade most of the discussions around MK Bay Marina have Marina. That I can say because there’s no in-camera references to that.” happened in-camera, meaning not publicly. He also says that no tax money goes towards subsidizing “The public has never had the opportunity to be involved in most of the discussions with regard to the marina over the the marina operation. “There’s been no taxpayers dollars in the MK Bay Marina last 15 years,” said McLeod. “All the discussions with regard to partnerships have taken place behind closed doors in-camera.” since 1995,” he said. “The users have paid their own way, inHe said there’s other discussions still happening behind cluding the issues with WorksafeBC fines, issues with the safety authority fines and other legal costs.” closed doors too that he’s not able to talk about.
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Town losing fight on accessibility ... page 8