Economics

Oilpatch stares at boots amid record prices
Deborah Yedlin, Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008

With oil and natural gas trading at more than double where they were during Stampede Week last year, you'd think there would be a feeling of ebullience around town for this year's festivities.

Wrong.

For some reason, there's an unmistakably muted feeling. Sure, there are always the Stampede curmudgeons who opt to leave town or refuse to don their jeans and cowboy boots, but this year it's different.

Carrier Sekani question review of gas pipeline
Written by GORDON HOEKSTRA
Citizen staff
Tuesday, 01 July 2008

The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council says a provincial review that gave a $1.1 billion natural gas pipeline project between Summit Lake and Kitimat the green light is inadequate, although it was expected.

The project -- a joint venture between Pacific Northern Gas and Kitimat LNG -- received an environmental assessment certificate last Friday after a review by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office.

Oil sands: Canada's dirty secret

As oil prices continue to reach record highs, the search for new sources of energy has led the world to Alberta, Canada, and its vast oil sands. Now, John Vidal finds, the country famed for its wilderness and clean living finds itself caught between fuelling the world's oil-hungry economy and the ecological devastation and soaring greenhouse gas emissions that exploiting the tar sands produces

* John Vidal, environment editor, in Fort McMurray
* guardian.co.uk,
* Friday July 11, 2008

Oil hits record near $147 as supply fears intensify
Santosh Menon, Reuters
Published: Friday, July 11, 2008

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil leapt $5 to a new record high near $147 a barrel on Friday, spurred by growing worries of threats to supplies from Iran and Nigeria and the possibility of a strike by Brazilian oil workers next week.

U.S. crude was $4.85 at $146.50 a barrel by 9:15 a.m. EDT, off highs of $146.90, taking gains in just two sessions to over $10. It rose $5.60 or 4 percent a barrel on Thursday in a late burst of buying activity.

California gets the goods on oil sands
Alberta seeks ways to satisfy new fuel rules
Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post Published: Thursday, July 10, 2008

CALGARY - A delegation from the federal and Alberta governments travelled to California this week to ensure its influential environmental regulator has all the facts about the oil sands before it moves forward with a low-carbon fuel standard that could discourage Canadian oil imports.

Shell backs out of oil sands project
July 10, 2008 // Post-Tribune staff writers
By Gitte Laasby and Christin Nance Lazerus

An oil giant that planned to refine the same Canadian tar sands as BP
Whiting has canceled plans for an expansion in Ontario.

Shell Canada is scrapping a proposed refinery project in Sarnia, which would
have turned tar-like crude from oil sands in Alberta, Canada, into
refinery-ready light oil, the company announced Tuesday.

But BP Whiting's modernization will continue to move forward, BP spokeswoman

Shell Canada finally crosses border

July 2, 2008
Residents turn out to learn about refinery project
By James Kelley // Voice Reporter

For many, the visit from Shell Canada was way overdue.

State Representative Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair, and Shell Canada officials
met with concerned citizens last Monday at the East China Township Offices
to provide information about a proposed oil refinery project along the St.
Clair River.

Shell Canada has been planning a project since 2006 to build a Tar Sands
Crude Oil Refinery along the St. Clair River. This is the first time Shell

"Anyone who thinks the invasion of Iraq accomplished nothing probably isn't sitting inside the boardrooms of some of the most powerful companies on Earth."

Toronto Star July 5, 2008 // Linda McQuaig
Big Oil poised to make triumphant return to Iraq
Small service contracts announced last week are a step toward major development deals

Lake Athabasca north shore busy with mining
By Don Jaque 25.JUN.08
Slave River Journal

Red Rock Energy is one of at least seven exploration companies actively drilling for uranium on the north shore of Lake Athabasca in the Uranium City vicinity.

Fri, July 4, 2008
Fort St. John ready to handle oil and gas boom
By LAUREN KRUGEL, THE CANADIAN PRESS

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C., -- Whose motto is "The Energetic City" -- will be able to avoid many of challenges that have become synonymous with the oilsands boomtown of Fort McMurray, Alta., said the city's mayor.

Two enormous natural gas finds in northeastern B.C. -- the Montney Trend and the Horn River Basin -- have piqued the interest of a number of big U.S. and Canadian oil and gas names and sent a massive amount of investment pouring into the region.