Panamax,
From where I sit, it makes no difference NG or oil. From BC's perspective it might be NG because they are close to a pipeline. For oil, until infrastructure is built, he would have to rely on some "good old boy" trucker to pick up his oil. No question this is his paranoia again, but he is worried since he is from Canada and is an unknown quanity that some local outfit will play the two barrels for you and one for me game on him.
As for what's causing the blow-outs or drilling methodolgies, I think you'll need an engineer for that.
skys