ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
Fort Liard is in its third summer of being an important barging hub for an oil and gas company with interests in northern B.C.

For the third consecutive summer Nexen is using Fort Liard as a hub to barge supplies to its North Liard project area in northern B.C. The company expects to send approximately 50 barge trips from Fort Liard during this barging season, which should last until late September. - photo courtesy of Nexen

Nexen is drilling exploration wells for natural gas in its North Liard project area that is located approximately 60 kilometres south of Fort Liard. During the winter, the company supplies the project using a winter road that runs 59 kilometres from Highway 77 to an ice crossing over the Liard River and then 18.5 kilometres farther to its main camp. That isn't an option during the rest of the year.

"With the ice road into North Liard closed, and our operations now strictly fly in/fly out, the safest and most efficient way to transport supplies to North Liard is by barging," Diane Kossman, Nexen's manager of corporate communications, wrote in an email to the Deh Cho Drum.

Fort Liard is the only location Nexen uses to send supplies to its project. During the first two years the company primarily barged equipment, including construction equipment and pipe, to North Liard.

The company is now primarily focusing on servicing and supplying the current operations, Kossman said. Last year using Cooper Barging Services Ltd., Nexen sent 99 round-trip barges to North Liard. This year Nexen expects to send about 50 barges between late May and late September.

It takes approximately 10 to 12 hours along the Liard River, depending on the load, for the barges to reach the project site.

Kossman said Fort Liard is receiving a number of benefits as a result of being a barging hub for Nexen.

"We believe in sharing the economic benefits of development with the communities and businesses closest to our operations," she said.

"Nexen benefits from the proximity of local suppliers and working with people who know the local culture, community and environment best. In turn, communities benefit from direct and indirect employment and diversification of the local economy that our company generates."

Nexen is using Beaver Enterprises Ltd. for maintenance and road work in its project area. Another local contractor is transporting personnel and small supplies to the project using jet boats, Kossman said.

Last year the company used the jet boats for 225 trips and is expecting 200 trips this year.

Acho Camps and Catering also has a joint venture agreement with Horizon North Camps and Catering that is providing employment opportunities at the North Liard camp. There are also employment opportunities related directly to the barging, she said.

Nexen is planning to continue using Fort Liard in future years as a barging point.

Representatives with Beaver Enterprises Ltd. didn't return calls for comment before press time.