Natural gas liquids: market outlook

Future market outlook for natural gas liquids was discussed. It was shown that Canadian natural gas and natural gas liquid (NGL) production levels have experienced extraordinary growth over the past few years due to an increased U.S. demand for Canadian natural gas. Recent supply and demand studies have indicated that there will be growing surpluses of NGLs in Canada. By 1996, the majority of NGL surplus that is forecast to be available is ethane (64%), followed by propane (22%), butane (12%) and pentane plus (2%). Throughout the forecast period, the ratio of incremental ethane to the total NGL surplus, over and above forecast demand, was expected to continue to rise. The viability of producing and processing that ethane and transporting it to market, will be crucial. Development of a large ex-Alberta C2+ pipeline from Empress to Mont Belvieu under the reference case supply projection is a possibility, but only if total tariff and fractionation charge on the line is less than or equal to 10 US cents/USG (currently 16-22 US cents/USG). 11 figs