North American Natural Gas Vision

United States, Canada and Mexico Release the "North American Natural Gas Vision"
WASHINGTON, DC -- The North American Energy Working Group (NAEWG), a group of senior energy officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States, today released the "North American Natural Gas Vision," a trilateral report by the three governments that includes information on the natural gas market in the North American region, including forecasts through the year 2012. U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman joined Minister of Natural Resources Canada R. John Efford and Mexico's Energy Secretary Fernando Elizondo in announcing the report's release.

“This document is a key cooperative effort among the three countries to address one of the most important energy issues facing us all,” Secretary Bodman said. “It demonstrates the commitment of the three governments to encourage a secure, competitive, efficient and growing North American gas market that will help fuel the economies and environmental objectives of the three countries.”

The "North American Natural Gas Vision" contains three sections: a summary of key findings; a review of the sector from 1990 to 2003; and a forecast on market supply, demand, prices, and trade out to the year 2012. The report also includes comments on issues beyond 2012. The report is the culmination of two years' work by the NAEWG’s Natural Gas Experts Group, which reviewed various measures North America can take to achieve its goals for natural gas. It examines the increasingly important role of natural gas in the energy sectors of the three countries and will serve as an important reference document for governments, businesses and the general public.

The "North America Natural Gas Vision" represents another step in fulfilling the goals of the NAEWG: to foster communication and cooperation among the governments and energy sectors of the three North American countries on energy-related matters of common interest, and to enhance North American energy trade and interconnections, consistent with the goal of sustainable development, for the benefit of all; respecting the domestic policies, divisions of jurisdictional authority and existing trade obligations of each country.

In addition to releasing the "North America Natural Gas Vision" today, NAEWG also announced the availability of a second document that examines federal regulation of cross-border electricity trade, the "Guide to Federal Regulation of Sales of Imported Electricity in Canada, Mexico, and the United States." The report is an overview of the domestic treatment of imported electricity in North America and a follow-up to "North America - Regulation of International Electricity Trade," released in 2002

At the Summit of the Americas held in Quebec, Canada, in April 2001, U.S. President Bush, then-Canadian Prime Minister Chretien and Mexico's President Fox committed to expanding energy trade among the three nations and strengthening the energy market in North America. Building on this commitment, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, the Minister of Natural Resources Canada and Mexico's Secretary of Energy agreed to establish the NAEWG. In addition to releasing five reports and continuing work in those areas, the NAEWG is examining other issues including energy science and technology and critical infrastructure protection.

This report is available on:
pi.energy.gov/pdf/, nrcan.gc.ca/, energia.gob.mx/work/ng.pdf
Media contacts:Anne Womack Kolton, 202/586-4940Drew Malcomb, 202/586-5806 Number: R-05-022 February 25, 2005