EnCana's Weyburn facility has set its capital expenditures budget at close to $100 million for 2003.

The money will be used for construction, drilling and other capital projects, including about $80 million for an eight pattern roll-out for the CO2 flood.

The budget was announced in Goodwater at a public information meeting on Monday evening, attended by up to 50 people.

Within the increased number of carbon dioxide injection sites, there is also a proposed plan for Natural Gas Liquids plant.

When the CO2 is injected into the reservoir it eventually comes back up the well site and brings along hydrocarbon liquids.

Liquids like propane and butane could eventually be collected from the Weyburn CO2 flood project as well as petroleum.

"I think production could be about 1,000 to 2,000 barrels of liquids a day," said Darcy Cretin, superintendent of the Weyburn facility. "That one is still in the design stage, we haven't actually decided to build it."

The remaining $20 million will be spent on the waterflood side of EnCana's operation.

While it is unlikely EnCana will be increasing its number of employees in the upcoming year, Cretin does think some of their contractors may have to hire new people or shift its manpower to meet EnCana's demands.

"There's going to be a significant amount of construction activity, pipeline construction so the companies that typically do that will likely need to staff up," said Cretin.

Cretin expects that up to 50 per cent of the field will be in a CO2 flood within the next five or six years.

Construction on some of the projects could begin in March so the company can complete the projects by the end of the year.

Currently, EnCana is scheduled to move its offices to the field office on the Feb. 14 weekend.

As part of the move, EnCana will be vacating their office in Weyburn and has agreed in principle to sell the building to the Weyburn Public School Board.

Cretin also hinted that EnCana will be making a significant donation to the 2004 Weyburn Summer Games committee with in the next couple of weeks.

Other community groups could also be accessing a $10 million fund made available through EnCana.

"Basically EnCana announced that that's our target for community investment, one per cent of our pretax profits," said Cretin.

The $10 million is being spread around the world where EnCana operates, but much of the fund will be spent in communities like Weyburn, where the company has operational facilities.