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
Developers move ahead with IPP projects
Developers move ahead with projects
By _Keith McNeill - Clearwater Times_
Published: August 10, 2009 5:00 AM
Run-of-the-river hydro projects have become a hot issue in this province
but three such projects north of Blue River are still going ahead.
According to Canadian Hydro Developers Inc. of Calgary, the proposed Bone
Creek (20 MW), Clemina Creek (9.9 MW) and Serpentine Creek (9.5 MW)
hydroelectric projects together would generate enough to power 21,000 homes if
the homes didn't mind receiving power service only in the spring and early
New pipeline from tar sands
New pipeline from oilsands
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
11th August 2009
CALGARY -- Inter Pipeline Fund says major construction work has wrapped up on a $1.8-billion expansion to a pipeline that links a major oilsands mine near Fort McMurray to the Edmonton area.
The Calgary-based energy transporter said yesterday it has finished installing 467 km of 42-in. diameter pipeline and 43 km of 20-in. diameter pipeline as part of the Corridor expansion and is $100 million under budget, having "materially eliminated its exposure to cost overrun risk."
Suncor Energy Reports Production Numbers for July 2009
Suncor Energy Reports Oil Sands Production Numbers for July 2009
Market Wire
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Aug. 6, 2009) - Suncor Energy Inc. reported today that production at its oil sands facility during July averaged approximately 304,000 barrels per day (bpd). Year-to-date oil sands production at the end of July averaged approximately 292,000 bpd. Suncor is targeting average oil sands production of 300,000 bpd (+5%/-10%) in 2009.
Alarm bells ring over acid rain in Northern Saskatchewan
Alarm bells ring over acid rain
ANGELA HILL
The Prince Albert Daily Herald
The delicate ecosystems of the northern boreal forests are at risk of lasting damage due to acid rain from oilsands development, according to information compiled by the Saskatchewan Environmental Society.
The oil patch's latest boom: Substance abuse
The oil patch's latest boom: Substance abuse
Carrie Tait, Financial Post
August 11, 2009
Buses carry oil workers to their jobs in Fort McMurray Alta. Alcohol abuse proved to be one of the most "chronic" challenges in the oil industry's labour force, according to a recent report. Brent Foster/National Post Staff Buses carry oil workers to their jobs in Fort McMurray Alta. Alcohol abuse proved to be one of the most "chronic" challenges in the oil industry's labour force, according to a recent report.
Open letter calls for renegotiating NAFTA and an end to SPP ahead of summit
Open letter calls for renegotiating NAFTA and an end to SPP ahead of summit
By Staff
Common Frontiers, a network of church, labour, environmental, and civil society groups, and the Réseau québcois sur l’Intégration continentale have sent the following open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper ahead of his summit next week with U.S president Barack Obama and Mexican president Felipe Calderón in Guadalajara, Mexico:
An Open Letter To Prime Minister Stephen Harper Re: North American Leaders Summit
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
Northeasterners forced to give up oil heat?
Thousands of homes might have to replace oil furnaces with wood-burning heaters
Northeasterners forced to give up oil heat?
By Steve Milloy Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Northeastern governors may ban home furnaces that burn oil in order to meet greenhouse gas emission limits.
The governors are expected to approve “a blueprint for slashing carbon dioxide from cars — and perhaps home furnaces — by January,” reports ClimateWire.
The tar sands pipeline and Obama’s carbon commitments
The tar sands pipeline and Obama’s carbon commitments
August 11, 2009
by Sheila McNulty
The Obama Administration has made a big show about its desire to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
But actions speak louder than words.
Environmentalists want to see the Administration underline its commitment to reduce carbon by rejecting a permit for a pipeline carrying fuel for Canada’s carbon-intensive oil sands into the US.
Canada's dirty oil may disrupt Obama's clean energy plans
Canada's dirty oil may disrupt Obama's clean energy plans
August 10
John Guerrerio
Trading our dependence upon 'bloody oil' for 'dirty oil' does not solve the problem.
Catastrophic shortfalls threaten economic recovery, says world's top energy economist
Catastrophic shortfalls threaten economic recovery, says world's top
energy economist
by Steve Connor, Science Editor
The Independent (August 03 2009)
The world is heading for a catastrophic energy crunch that could cripple a
global economic recovery because most of the major oil fields in the world
have passed their peak production, a leading energy economist has warned.
Higher oil prices brought on by a rapid increase in demand and a
stagnation, or even decline, in supply could blow any recovery off course,
