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
India eyes $2.5 bln investment in Canada tar sands
India eyes $2.5 bln investment in Canada tar sands
Thu Jul 3, 2008 7:38am EDT
MADRID (Reuters) - Indian firms could invest $2-$2.5 billion for stakes in
Canadian tar sands projects, a top official said on Thursday, as part of
efforts to secure overseas energy assets to fuel the country's fast-growing
economy.
Oil Secretary M.S. Srinivasan said at the World Petroleum Congress in Madrid
the companies were looking to pick up holdings rather than buy foreign
firms.
Earlier this year, the head of state-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (
Kinder Morgan ramping up pipeline plans (to north BC)
Kinder Morgan ramping up pipeline plans
Dormant northern leg being revived
Jon Harding
Canwest News Service
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
CALGARY -- A second large shipper of oil from Canada to the United States has confirmed interest is heating up between Canadian producers and refining customers in Asia and along the United States' West Coast.
Keystone Hearings in Saskatchewan
Information flows at pipeline gathering
The Shaunavon Standard (Saskatchewan)
July 2, 2008
Local landowners and the general public had an opportunity to get a first hand look at a proposed new $7 billion pipeline project that will pass through Southwest Saskatchewan. Local landowners and the general public had an opportunity to get a first hand look at a proposed new $7 billion pipeline project that will pass through Southwest Saskatchewan.
The Keystone XL Pipeline is a crude oil project originating in Alberta and extending south to serve markets on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Canadian production to play crucial role on world markets
Output still far from peak levels, say CEOs
Canadian production to play crucial role on world markets
Shaun Polczer, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, July 02, 2008
MADRID, Spain - Canada's oilsands are still years away from making a meaningful impact on global oil supplies, the heads of two of the world's largest oil companies -- Exxon and Total SA -- said at the World Petroleum Congress in Spain yesterday.
But they also said despite economic and environmental challenges, unconventional oil from Canada will eventually play a crucial role in meeting the world's oil needs.
Fish death in oil patch (a closed Syncrude mine)
Fish death in oil patch
By GABRIEL ZARATE, SRJ Reporter 02.JUL.08
Alberta Environment is investigating an unexplained fish die-off in a reservoir in the Athabasca oil patch. The reservoir was built in the 1970s to divert the waters of Beaver Creek away from a nearby Syncrude oil sands mine, which is no longer active.
“There is no evidence that the incident was caused by contamination from that site,” said Alberta Environment spokesperson Cheryl Robb.
Come to Canada! But only if you've got a job
Come to Canada! But only if you've got a job
Stories of Canada looking to poach British citizens are wildly exaggerated. We're only interested in professionals who can help us dig up oil.
Heather Mallick
guardian.co.uk, // Wednesday July 2, 2008
Pissed-off workers of Britain, Alberta wants YOU.
I beg your pardon? Alberta. It's a western province of Canada. The Rockies? Edmonton? Calgary, had the Olympics in 1988? A variety of scenic spots named after various homely minor Royals of the Victorian era?
US Congressional Moratorium on Oil Shale, Utah's Tar Sands
Hatch and Bennett say one-year ban hurts U.S. energy independence
Utah senators slam congressional oil-shale development moratorium
By Patty Henetz
The Salt Lake Tribune
07/02/2008
A congressional moratorium on oil shale leasing and development hurts an established industry's efforts to find investors and imperils the nation's hopes for energy independence, Utah's senators said Tuesday.
Calgary: Rental crisis fund hits $43.5M
Rental crisis fund hits $43.5M
Province pays 10,000 claims a month
Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, July 01, 2008
A provincial emergency fund designed to help renters in dire straits has ballooned to more than six times its original size -- going to $43.5 million from the $7 million announced by the Stelmach government.
More than 62,000 requests for emergency cash were granted in less than a year following the spring 2007 unveiling of the Homeless and Eviction Prevention Fund.
Sahtu Office to monitor Oil & Gas delayed....
Monitoring office faces delay
Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 30, 2008
RADILIH KOE'/FORT GOOD HOPE - The Yamoga Land Corp. in Fort Good Hope is moving forward with plans to open an office that will monitor the activities of oil, gas and mining companies exploring around Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake, despite difficulties finding staff for the office.
Foreign workers deserve protection-- Calgary Herald Editorial
Foreign workers deserve protection
Calgary Herald
Published: Sunday, June 29, 2008
The measurement of success for all employment programs, in particular one aimed at easing Alberta's labour crisis, is whether it's a win-win -- for the employer and the employees.
With that in mind, judging from the numerous reports of abuse -- including the latest revelations of exploitation of 120 Chinese workers paid a fraction of what they were owed for building tanks at a northern Alberta oilsands site -- it seems the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is failing miserably.
