| The Gateway to an Economic Bonanza? Looking to the "Great White North." Geo-centric American investors have long focused on what's going on in "the lower 48." But a long slide towards oil dependency is only slightly moderated by new finds such as the Bakken and Barnett Shales, as return-minded investors are looking overseas for greater opportunity. The one place many have not yet turned is more prime than ever.
The Economist Intelligence Unit rates Canada as the #1 place to invest and do business in the G7 for the period 2006-2010, handily beating the United States, Japan, Germany, France, United Kingdom, and Italy, the lower-ranked members of this exclusive group of industrialized nations.
Uniquely placed in the global market, Canada boasts a strong return-on-investment with unparalleled access via NAFTA to the entire Northern American market -- 443 million consumers strong, with a combined Gross Domestic Product of US$15.4 trillion. With one of the highest graduate and post-graduate education rates in the world, Canada is highly rated by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development for its achievements in higher education.
Smart investments and a highly-educated workforce have helped drive 13 years of steady economic growth and stability in Canada, earning a coveted "AAA" rating from Standard & Poor's. |  Oil and Gas Reserves to the North
Warrants a Second Glance
Even with these accolades, Canada's economic stability is not the only draw. The Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, has concluded that Canada is second only to Saudi Arabia in estimated recoverable oil reserves: 180 billion barrels to the Saudi's 264 billion. Iraq is third with 112.5 billion. Between some of the world's greatest natural resource reserves and a strong oil and gas business community with eyes on the international market, it's no wonder that Canadian oil and gas companies are at the top of many investors' "must review" lists.
But how to choose? With hundreds of worthy companies out there, there are plenty that warrant a closer look. For instance, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd , in recent news for growth attributed to their processing of oil sands. Or EnCana [TSX:ECS; NYSE:ECA], positioned as one of the largest holders of oil and gas lands in onshore North America. Or oil and gas producer Husky Energy [TSX: HSE], whose activities in deep and shallow production round out its portfolio. And finally, Petrobank Energy and Resources [TSX: PBG], which has developed new and interesting processes that may revolutionize oil extraction technology. In this issue of PetroPortolio, we hope to help narrow the investing research field in. This issue provides insight into developments in Canada, oil sands, and extraction technologies that continue to make producing oil and gas more environmentally safe and economically viable. |  Oil Sands Update
Opportunities and Challenges to 2015
Research shows that Canada's oil sands concentrated in Alberta are estimated to hold a recoverable crude bitumen resource of 315 billion barrels, with an established reserve of almost 174 billion barrels already confirmed by 2004. Read more on oil sands -- and learn all you need to know about the oil sands project's economic outlook, supply-and-demand forecasts, market analysis, infrastructure considerations and other details -- in this government assessment of the Canadian energy market. National Energy Board (Canada)
 |  Whitesands Experimental ProjectAssessing Commercial Potential of the
McMurry Formation
Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI) is heralded to potentially recover over 70% of the bitumen in oil sands, while significantly lowering costs, using less water, and emitting lower levels of greenhouse gases than other oil sands recovery processes. This technical and environmental overview of the project sheds some light on some of the opportunities and challenges of oil sands production in Alberta. Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd.
|  Water, Water, Everywhere
An Oil Sand Recovery Technical Primer
In this presentation by the Alberta Research Council, the authors present a comparison of various "Toe-to-Heel" oil sands recovery processes, lending objective viewpoints as to how and where such technology might play. For the technically-minded investor, this type of presentation provides additional cues into emerging technologies and production techniques used in oil recovery in the field, as well as defining some of the specifics around hydrocarbon research and development. Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada |  Making the Most of a Market
Out of Whack
Demystifying the "Crack Spread"
There are so many potential ways to achieve a return on your energy investment that it's often hard to focus on just one at a time. In this instance, we spotlight "crack spread" -- the gap between crude oil prices and the price of petroleum products extracted from the crude. Essentially, this is an oil refinery's profit margin, and there are several investing possibilities indicated by a growing or shrinking spread. With updated links and discussions around current energy news, blogs and online resources are an ever-changing source for information on small cap energy investing. InvestCanada Blog; Wikipedia | Click Here to Send PetroPortfolio to a Friend!At PetroPortfolio, we will never trade or sell your name or email address to another company.
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| | | News Highlights | Oil Hits Record $111 as
Price Rally AcceleratesPrices continue to rise... price spike is attributed to speculation and world turbulence limiting the access to oil and gas world-wide.
Petroleum World
|  | Natural Gas Hits $10;
Higher Utility Bills for
Canadians Expected
If you thought last year was expensive, brace yourself... Natural gas prices have doubled, saying goodbye to the relatively cheap natural gas of this year.
The Canadian Press | | Petrobank Profits Up
Sharply on Production IncreasesFuture of key player in Saskatchewan tied to commercialization of new oil sands recovery technology.
Resource Investor
| | Canadian Natural
Resource Q4 Profit
More that DoublesCNR announces 90% completed oilsands development; preliminary numbers look to out perform; profits could balloon as much as C$1.9 billion over estimates.
The Canadian Press
| | | | About PetroPortfolio
PetroPortfolio is your source for current information on the global energy industry, with a particular focus on information of interest to investors and money managers in the business of profiting from the current energy environment. | | |
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