Operators nearly doubled the amount of metres drilled in the second quarter of this year compared to same three months in 2009 while the well count rose by a more modest 55% to 1,197 holes.

With shale gas exploration only in its infancy in Alberta, Environment Minister Rob Renner is mindful of the contentious debate in the United States regarding the potential environmental impacts from hydraulic fracturing and says he will "keep an eye focused" as things play out on his home turf.

How serious is the challenge facing conventional natural gas in Western Canada? And what can be done about it? Last month, Ziff Energy Group issued a white paper warning that conventional gas production -- which now represents over 70% of Western Canada's gas output -- could drop below 50% by the end of this decade.

Aggregate bitumen production from SAGD projects in Alberta was approximately 315,000 bbls per day for the month of May, more than double that of two years ago, according to an investment report from Peters & Co. Limited which expects production growth to continue at a rapid pace over the next decade based on the number and scale of proposed new projects.

The shift to oil-weighted drilling in Western Canada is providing some relief to service companies as the situation would likely have been a lot bleaker with persistently weaker natural gas prices.

The pace of merger and acquisition activity in the global exploration and production sector sustained the momentum of the first quarter with $42 billion (U.S.) of deals announced in the second quarter of 2010, according to an analysis prepared by Evaluate Energy.

With yesterday's deal to buy BP's conventional Canadian assets, Apache Corporation - a company that has made a reputation of extracting new production and reserves from acquired assets - is buying properties that have not had the full attention of BP in many years.

With increased certainty of supply, Canadian oilsands shippers and producers are showing increased interest in diversifying their markets beyond the United States, a forum on unconventional oil heard last week.

The oilsands are a top priority for the federal government, and Ottawa supports responsible development of the resource, federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice said Saturday.

Liquids-rich gas is a critical feedstock for the petrochemical industry, and so when deciding which is preferred, shale gas or northern projects, the answer is simple: all of them, says an industry official.

Three new methods of in situ bitumen production are either awaiting funding or industry partners for further development or commercialization, company executives said Wednesday.