International Oil & Gas is a category for stories relating to tar sand production or climate change but not in any of the projects already listed geographically. This includes other regions of the planet with horrible environmental and high energy costs that, like the tar sands, are only a "choice" because of high prices and the global depletion of easily recoverable oil reserves. Such issues as the threat of war on Iran, "instability" in Iraq and Venezuela or disasters like Katrina will all drive up oil prices, which in turn doubly encourages tar sand production-- by price demand and energy demand.
Stock markets and global oil interests (including war) would be included here, as would attempts to get oil out of high risk, low return areas from oil shale in Colorado, to natural gas and heavy oil in the high eastern Arctic. The tar sands are part of this trend and should be seen as such. What happens with the tar sands will have a tremendous impact on what kind of choices are made elsewhere, environmentally and socially.
Oilpatch activist released in pipeline bombings case
By Laura Drake and Richard Warnica,
Canwest News Service
January 9, 2010
GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — After hours of police interrogation, controversial oilpatch activist Wiebo Ludwig walked out of an Alberta police station facing no charges Saturday — a day after he was arrested in connection with a series of pipeline bombings.
The mainstream environmental movement no longer inspires nor leads society to an enlightened existence – it simply bows down to the status quo.
Who Really Deserves the Fossil Fool Award? TckTckTck or us?
Pale Greens Honor BC Climate Vandals
December 29, 2009
For some, a tiny tax outweighs massive environmental destruction
by Roger Annis
At first glance, it seemed that the “Yes Men” had scored another comedic coup for Mother Earth. CBC Radio news reported on December 16 that on the previous day, British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell was feted and presented an environmental award by many of Canada’s well-heeled “environmental groups” during the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen.
Redrawing the pipeline map
TransCanada takes on rival Enbridge in trying to reshape continental oil movement
David Ebner
Vancouver — From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Jan. 02, 2010
A decade ago, TransCanada Corp. (TRP-T36.190.260.72%) was reeling as the Calgary power and natural gas pipeline company had slashed its dividend and watched its stock price plunge when a rival pipeline came on the scene.
Energy sector transformed by 2009 transactions.
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010
Canwest News Service // Calgary Herald
CALGARY – It was the year of the mega-deal.
Despite fewer overall transactions, merger and acquisitions in 2009 were dominated by a handful of super-deals that reshaped the oilpatch landscape for the decade to come as familiar faces fell by the wayside, to be replaced by some new players sure to become household names.
If you ever needed evidence that the consciousness rising around tar sands the world over was powerful, look at the horse-hockey that the Can West chain (through their Edmonton Journal) is reduced to. There is no technoligcal fix. It is currently science fiction.
Rick George is also one of the main architects of the NACC (North American Competitiveness Council) that, among many things, authored the now-defunct Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and has been one of the leading voices in 'helping' to deliver the Olympic corporate farce to Vancouver for February, 2010. When PetroCanada was bought out by Suncor, Rick George became the president and CEO of the principle energy supplier to the Games.
Canada Approves PetroChina's $1.9 Billion Majority Stake In Athabasca Oil Sands
January 1, 2010 6:55 a.m. EST
AHN Staff
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (AHN) - Canadian Industry Minister Tony Clement has okayed PetroChina International Investment Company Limited to take a majority ownership in the Athabasca Oil Sands Corporation.
Clement said he approved the application for PetroChina to pay $1.9 billion for a 60 percent stake in Athabasca's MacKay and Dover Oil Sands projects after he became satisfied the investment would provide a net benefit to Canada.
Tibetan Glaciers Are Retreating
At An Alarming Rate
By James Hansen
20 December, 2009
Giss.nasa.gov
Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau, sometimes called Earth's "third pole", hold the largest ice mass outside the polar regions. These glaciers act as a water storage tower for South and East Asia, releasing melt water in warm months to the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and other river systems, providing fresh water to more than a billion people. In the dry season glacial melt provides half or more of the water in many rivers.
December 23, 2009
Statoil Committed To Canada's Oilsands
By: Lynda Harrison
Statoil Canada Ltd. has a new Canadian president who says this country's oilsands represent a key part of the company's global strategy and his company is committed to developing them in a manner that balances social, economic and environmental concerns.
