quebec missed boat on shale gas, page-2

To add to your post this article specifically mentions MPO, though bear in mind the quoted Maquarie Equities Research valuation would be pre moritorium prices.

These two article wont help companies like MPO wishing to drill in the area- if the public thinks the leases were "given away" they may not be too keen to see much further development.

From- http://communiques.gouv.qc.ca/gouvqc/communiques/GPQF/Mars2011/21/c5050.html

(translated to english by google translate)

"
Minister Normandeau dismissing out of hand the recommendation of the BAPE at page 202 of his report on the shale gas, asked the Ministry of Finance to produce an economic analysis to "propose a way to recover as quickly as possible shortfall because of low amounts of fees that were charged during the initial allocation of exploration rights in the lowlands of the St. Lawrence." However, following the publication of this recommendation, Premier Jean Charest accused the BAPE to fantasize and the Deputy Prime Minister Nathalie Normandeau said that was ridiculous and that BAPE had erred.

Beyond this unacceptable behavior, there is the substantive issues and learn that Quebec has sold exploration permits to 10 cents per acre when a serious relationship as that made by Macquarie Equities Research says that the company could now Molopo sell them for $ 570 per hectare. This company could get up to $ 500 million if it decided to sell all of its permits acquired at a ridiculous price, "said Mr. McKay. Soulignons que Molopo d?tient des droits d'exploration sur 861 980 hectares un peu partout au sud du fleuve Saint-Laurent. Note that Molopo holds exploration rights on 861,980 acres across southern St. Lawrence River.