Tar Sands 101
The Tar Sands "Gigaproject" is the largest industrial project in human history and likely also the most destructive. The tar sands mining procedure releases at least three times the CO2 emissions as regular oil production and is slated to become the single largest industrial contributor in North America to Climate Change.
The tar sands are already slated to be the cause of up to the second fastest rate of deforestation on the planet behind the Amazon Rainforest Basin. Currently approved projects will see 3 million barrels of tar sands mock crude produced daily by 2018; for each barrel of oil up to as high as five barrels of water are used.
Human health in many communities has seriously taken a turn for the worse with many causes alleged to be from tar sands production. Tar sands production has led to many serious social issues throughout Alberta, from housing crises to the vast expansion of temporary foreign worker programs that racialize and exploit so-called non-citizens. Infrastructure from pipelines to refineries to super tanker oil traffic on the seas crosses the continent in all directions to allthree major oceans and the Gulf of Mexico.
The mock oil produced primarily is consumed in the United States and helps to subsidize continued wars of aggression against other oil producing nations such as Iraq, Venezuela and Iran.
To understand the tar sands in more depth, continue to our Tar Sands 101 reading list
NAFTA paves U. S. route to energy from north
NAFTA paves U. S. route to energy from north
Pipelines may let area share boom
By Jerry Zremski NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF
Beneath the forests of Alberta, 2,300 miles miles northwest of Buffalo, you’ll find the latest black gold: a mix of sand and oil being mined as a new kind of gusher.
And Alberta’s Athabasca Oil Sands are just part of a petroleum boom that has made Canada the world’s top supplier of oil to the United States.
Canadian Oil Officials to Meet With Obama Adviser, Star Reports
Canadian Oil Officials to Meet With Obama Adviser, Star Reports
By Sean B. Pasternak
Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian government and oil industry officials will meet with Senator Barack Obama's top energy adviser today to promote Canada's oil-sands industry, the Toronto Star reported.
The meeting with Jason Grumet will be led by Conservative Party member Tony Clement, the Star said. Officials are hoping to shed Canada's label of producing expensive oil that requires large amounts of energy and water to extract, the newspaper reported.
Enbridge begins early planning of $5-billion Gateway pipeline project
August 6, 2008
Oil and Gas Infrastructure
Enbridge begins early planning of $5-billion Gateway pipeline project
Richard Gilbert // staff writer
The largest private infrastructure project in the history of British Columbia is in the early planning stages.
Enbridge Corporation hopes to construct a twin pipeline and marine facility in Kitimat.
The Gateway pipeline project involves the construction of a petroleum export pipeline, a condensate import pipeline and a marine tank terminal to service both pipelines.
Early estimates peg the cost near $5 billion.
Indian Uprising Radio: Price of tar sands oil
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Indian Uprising Radio: Price of tar sands oil
KFAI's Indian Uprising, August 24, 2008 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CDT #279
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2008/08/indian-uprising-radio-price-of-tar...
Daryl Sager (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe), Energy Justice Program
Associate, Fresh Energy, Inc. Fresh Energy of St. Paul, Minnesota is
an organization leading the transition to a clean, efficient and fair
energy system. Its goals are: Healthy Economies, Healthy People,
Healthy Environment and Energy Independence. Fresh Energy focus areas
Rare cancer strikes
Rare cancer strikes
Small community near Alberta oilsands has disproportionate number of bile duct disease
By VIVIAN SONG
A mutated, two-mouthed fish caught downstream from the Alberta oilsands caught the attention of the Canadian public last week. Beneath its first mouth is a confusing aberration, a second, baby, jagged-toothed lower jaw that seems to grow timidly out of the fish-face.
Two boys fishing in Lake Athabasca caught the 2.5-kilo goldeye two weeks ago and handed it over to the Mikisew First Nation.
Many hurdles ahead for TransCanada's US$26 billion Alaska pipeline
Many hurdles ahead for TransCanada's US$26 billion Alaska pipeline
August 2008 // The Energy News
CALGARY _ There are still numerous hurdles TransCanada Corp. (TSX:TRP) must clear before it can break ground on its proposed US$26-billion Alaska pipeline, not the least of which is getting shipping commitments from natural gas producers in the region, an analyst said Wednesday.
Two-Mouthed Fish Discovered Near Alberta Tar Sands (two stories)
Two-Mouthed Fish Discovered Near Alberta Oil Sands, CBC Reports
By Jeremy van Loon
Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- A mutant fish with two mouths was caught in northern Alberta, near the Canadian province's Athabasca oil sands, stoking residents' concerns about pollution, Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
The fish was hooked from a dock at Lake Athabasca and handed over to park wardens, CBC said on its Web site today. Locals are fighting expansion of heavy oil production because of its impact on the environment, the Web site said.
Green groups quit tar sands forum
Green groups quit oil sands forum
Protest move made as Industry Minister in U.S. to address concerns about environmental impact
PAUL HAAVARDSRUD AND SHAWN MCCARTHY
August 19, 2008
CALGARY AND OTTAWA -- Three groups have quit a government-sponsored forum for assessing environmental costs in the oil sands, a move that undercuts government efforts to burnish the image of the massive developments in U.S. markets.
Will Canada's oil boom be an environmental bust?
Will Canada's oil boom be an environmental bust?
By ROB GILLIES – Aug 23, 2008
FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta (AP) — The largest dump truck in the world is parked under a massive mechanical shovel waiting to transport 400 tons of oily sand at an open pit mine in the northern reaches of Alberta.
Each Caterpillar 797B heavy hauler — three-stories high, with tires twice as tall as the average man — carries the equivalent of 200 barrels of heavy oil worth $23,000 per haul at today's prices.
TransCanada announces plan to expand Keystone pipeline capacity
August 4, 2008
TransCanada announces plan to expand Keystone pipeline capacity
Richard Gilbert
staff writer
A Calgary-based company is expanding its plans to build a pipeline to transport oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast, while construction of the project ramps up in both countries.
The Keystone pipeline expansion involves the construction of a 3,200-kilometre, 36-inch crude oil pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to a delivery point near existing terminals in Port Arthur, Texas.
