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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Should green-minded Norway invest in Canadian tar-sands?

Should green-minded Norway invest in Canadian oil-sands?

Last week, Greenpeace failed in its bid to force Norway's StatoilHydro to abandon a $2 billion investment in a project that it says produces 10 times the greenhouse gases as North Sea drilling.

By Tom Sullivan | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
from the May 27, 2009

Stockholm, Sweden - It came as little surprise when Norway's partially state-owned oil company, StatoilHydro, rejected a shareholder motion last week to pull out of a $2 billion tar-sands venture in Alberta, Canada.

Harper kicks up trade storm over U.S.'s ambitious low-carbon fuel rules

Cloudy forecast
Harper kicks up trade storm over U.S.'s ambitious low-carbon fuel rules
Alice Klein
Now Toronto May 25, 2009

It’s been a bad political week for the tar sands. Publicly, the Tories are still clinging to the cupid face they pulled on when U.S. President Barack Obama touched down in Ottawa this winter, but they’ve just pulled out the big, fat arrows and are aiming low.

As U.S. climate initiatives rev into real action, it shamefully ain’t our love that we Canucks are sending stateside.

"Tar sands' climate threat, security promise both exaggerated -- report"

Tar sands' climate threat, security promise both exaggerated -- report
By NATHANIAL GRONEWOLD, Greenwire [NYTimes]
Published: May 22, 2009

NEW YORK -- Further development of Alberta's famous oil sands will be neither the climate disaster that activists fear nor the energy security panacea that proponents suggest it is, the Council on Foreign Relations concludes in a new report.

Groups unhappy with Chevron expansion (Bay Area)

Groups unhappy with Chevron expansion
May 20, 2009
By Wayne Freedman

There may be a refinery upgrade in Richmond, but if environmental groups have it their way, it may never happen. This is frustrating Chevron.

"Well the whole intent of the project is to help modernize the refinery," said Chevron spokesman Dean O'Hair.

But the intent of lawyers was to delay it. There was wrangling in Superior Court after a ruling rejected an environmental impact report from Chevron and the city of Richmond. The court called it "unclear and inconsistent."

Hamm, producers try to combat a new concern in oil industry

Hamm, producers try to combat a new concern in oil industry
By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
May 03, 2009

The United States has been concerned for many years about the influx of foreign oil, mostly from the Middle East into the United States. But now, a new concern from Canada is beginning to worry some oil producers, and, led by Enid’s Harold Hamm, they are taking steps to fight it.

Natives, environmentalists assail proposed Enbridge oil pipeline to Kitimat

May 6, 2009

TORONTO — First nations and environmental activists say the oil industry is trying for an end run around U.S. concerns about oilsands pollution and will trample on native lands with Enbridge Inc.'s (TSX:ENB) proposed pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast.

A small group journeyed from British Columbia to the pipeline company's annual meeting Wednesday in Toronto to protest against the Northern Gateway project.

Statoil in trouble with major investors over its tar sands involvement

*News Release:*

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*Statoil in trouble with major investors over its tar sands involvement*

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13 May 2009 (Oslo, Norway) — Four major investors are putting pressure on
Statoil to withdraw from the tar sands, Greenpeace has learned.

Danske Bank has expressed its opposition to the contentious project while
Norway’s largest bank, DnBNOR, is holding meetings today to discuss whether
continued involvement in the Alberta tar sands is a sound investment.

In addition, prominent Statoil stakeholders, Folksam, a Swedish insurance

National Energy Board schedules a hearing on Keystone XL pipeline project

CALGARY, May 12 /CNW/ - The National Energy Board (NEB) has scheduled an
oral hearing on an application from TransCanada Keystone Pipeline GP Ltd.
(Keystone) to construct and operate the Canadian portion of its proposed
Keystone XL pipeline project.

The hearing is scheduled to start on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 9:00
a.m. at a location to be determined.

The proposed project is a crude oil line that would run from Alberta to

Beaufort Sea Off-Shore Drilling on Hold Thanks to Environmentalists

Off-Shore Drilling on Hold Thanks to Environmentalists
By SHAWN BELL, SRJ Reporter 12.MAY.09

A major oil company will not drill in the Beaufort Sea due to environmentalists’ concerns.

Shell withdrew its plan for exploration in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea on May 6. The plan spanned 2007 to 2009, but was too large-scale for environmentalists. They voiced concerns about impacts drilling would have on marine wildlife. Shell told the United States’ Minerals Management Services it will file a new exploration plan for 2010.

Shell committed to tar sands despite $42m losses

Shell vows to press on with projects amid cost cuts and falling profits

* Terry Macalister
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 29 April 2009

Shell has pledged to continue with its controversial tar sands projects but has been forced to consider far-reaching cost cuts to keep the operations going after they lost $42m (£28m) in the last three months.