l-rCliff LaPrairie, Lhillpe Reicher, Colleen Giroux-Schmidt , Dean Patry  and Mines Minister  Bill Bennett

Prince George, B.C. – When PETRONAS  announced in December it was  delaying its final  investment  decision on  its Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal  project that  would built on Lelu Island, that didn’t mean it stopped working  towards that goal.

Dean Patry, Vice President of  Major Projects  Development and President of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project at Trans Canada Pipeline,  says no one should have been surprised by the PETRONAS decision in the wake of  construction cost concerns and  a delay in the Canadian Environmental Assessment process.  He told the Natural Resource Forum  he believes  PETRONAS will  make a final decision  on the project   in the first half of this year.

Patry says PETRONAS has continued to  work  towards achieving its goals, including redesigning the terminal  and  working with TransCanada to  find  construction cost savings.  TransCanada  is, says Patry, “within weeks” of being able to start constructing the  pipeline to carry the  natural gas to the proposed LNG facility on Lelu Island, it just needs  the  go ahead from PETRONAS.

Recognizing that pipelines “have become dinner table conversation” for everyone,  Patry praised Premier Christy Clark for  continuing to keep LNG  front and centre,. “The LNG window for opportunity is small” says Patry, who  added the decision by PETRONAS will be a bell weather for  LNG development in  the province “Market players will be watching PETRONAS very closely” says Patry,   as he  feels  if  PETRONAS  moves forward, others will follow.