Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Climate Change / Emissions

Climate Change is caused by greenhouse gas emissions, in particular carbon. 40% of Canada’s emissions already come from Alberta alone, not counting the entire tar sands infrastructure across North America nor counting the projected increase in tar sands production or the infrastructure built across the continent to accommodate such increases in production. Factor it all in and you get the picture. You haven’t even burned the petrol yet.

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Stelmach Goes to Washington; Controversial Kearl Tar Sands Project Goes to Court

EcoJustice: Stelmach Goes to Washington; Controversial Kearl Tar Sands Project Goes to Court

Big Oil's Profits and Plunder

by Ralph Nader, Nader.org
AlterNet (January 08 2008)

While many impoverished American families are shivering in the winter
cold for lack of money to pay the oil baron their exorbitant price for
home heating oil, ex-oil man, George W Bush sleeps in a warm White House
and relishes his defeat of the Congressional attempt to get rid of $15
billion in unconscionable tax breaks given those same profit-glutted oil
companies like ExxonMobil when crude oil was half the price it is today.

This is the same George W Bush who, calling himself a "compassionate

The Peak Oil Crisis: Storm of the Century

The Peak Oil Crisis: Storm of the Century
by Tom Whipple

Falls Church News Press (December 27 2007)

A "Perfect storm" refers to the simultaneous occurrence of events which,
taken individually, would be far less powerful than the result of their
chance combination. Such occurrences are rare by their very nature. --
Wikipedia

In recent weeks we have been bombarded with reports of perturbations in
the mortgage/liquidity crisis that is creating havoc in the financial world.

The travails of the "financial industry", as it is called these days,

Detroit: Say no to refinery expansion (for Albertan Tar Sands)

Detroit: Say no to refinery expansion
January 10, 2008

By ED McARDLE

In the debate over record gas prices, some experts point to dwindling supplies unable to meet soaring demand, while others stress lack of refinery capacity in the United States. Marathon Oil believes it has the answer.

Suncor production misses mark

Suncor production misses mark
Jan 11, 2008 04:30 AM

CALGARY–Suncor Energy Inc. says its oil-sands production during 2007 averaged about 236,000 barrels per day, short of the target 240,000 to 245,000.

In December, output at Suncor's oil-sands operation at Fort McMurray, Alta., averaged 234,000 barrels per day, down from 266,000 in November.

Suncor reports production numbers monthly from its operations. The numbers are preliminary and subject to adjustment.

Production volumes will be confirmed when fourth-quarter financial results are released Jan. 22.

Canada tar sands projects flunk green test-groups

Canada oil sands projects flunk green test-groups

By Jeffrey Jones
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Canadian oil sands mining projects, seen as a key source of North American energy supply for decades to come, have been given poor environmental marks in a report released on Thursday, with even the best performer barely garnering a passing grade.
Environmental groups Pembina Institute and World Wildlife Fund surveyed 10 Alberta oil sands ventures, including seven yet to start producing, for attention to land, air emissions, water, climate change and overall environmental management.

A Kinder, Gentler Tar Sands, brought to you by the Pembina Institute and World Wildlife Fund

What is it that prevents Pembina Institute and WWF from just saying "Stop!" to the tar sands instead of just lobbying to improve their "environmental performance." Maybe it is something to do with the fact that they both receive multi-million dollar funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts, whose parent companies Sun Oil/Sunoco built the first tar sands project in 1967 and who continue to refine large amounts of sythetic tar sands crude oil in Ohio and are planning to extend tar sands supply pipelines as far east as their refineries in Philadelphia.

- Tarpit Pete

Action must be taken now to deal with peak of oil

Action must be taken now to deal with peak of oil
Jan 05, 2008 04:30 AM

Tyler Hamilton raises three crucial points in his article:

Gasoline prices, the Canadian-U.S. dollar exchange rate and crude oil have all passed a critical benchmark over a short period of time.

Not only is this a sign of fundamental changes within our economy, it is unfortunately very much beyond control of the Canadian consumer.

It is high time for the government to realize that the world oil peak is imminent and that necessary adjustments will require years to impact our energy economy.

Impacting Unimpaired: The SPP and TILMA are aimed directly at unimpeded extraction in the tar sands

January 7, 2008
Impacting Unimpaired
New agreements like the SPP and TILMA are aimed directly at unimpeded extraction in the tar sands

by Macdonald Stainsby

The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca

Government Responsible for Sustainable Tar Sands Development

January 6, 2008
Government Responsible for Sustainable Tar Sands Development
by Rachel Penner de Waal

The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca

Alberta's current royalty regime has likely cost the province more in lost revenue than Trudeau's National Energy Program did, according to a senior policy analyst at the Pembina Institute.