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Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd. has acquired a 10% stake in the Petronas-led LNG plant on Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert, agreeing to buy 10% of the yet-to-be built terminal’s 12-million-tonne-per-year output.

There is real appreciation of what it means for economic growth

Also Friday, Alberta Premier Alison Redford was in New Brunswick promoting a pipeline to carry Alberta oil to the East Coast, which she said is receiving widespread support in the province.

New Brunswick is used to seeing oil tankers head into tidewater from the Irving Oil Ltd. refinery in Saint John and “there is tremendous community consensus on this, because there is real appreciation of what it means for economic growth,” she told reporters on a conference call.

TransCanada Corp. is considering converting part of its natural gas mainline to carry crude into Quebec, with the possibility of a 1,400-kilometre extension to Saint John.

The Calgary-based company has set a deadline of June 17 to accept binding commitments from oil producers before determining whether to proceed with the development, known as the Energy East Pipeline project. The pipeline could ship as much as 850,000 barrels of oil per day starting in late 2017 if it goes ahead.

Ms. Redford said she is optimistic there is enough support to make the project viable.

Alberta has run into opposition to pipeline plans through B.C. and south through the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The pipelines are needed to accommodate increasing production from the oil sands and from tight oil deposits.

Ms. Redford, Ms. Clark and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall are expected to meet in the next few days to discuss energy issues.

The Alberta premier said she wouldn’t use New Brunswick’s support for more oil from Alberta to gain leverage with the B.C. premier.

“I don’t think that it’s going to be constructive for us to try to enter into discussions with B.C. around the idea that there might be another option,” she said.