Economics

Time to draw a line in the oil sands

May 01, 2008 04:30 AM
Gillian McEachern
Matt Price

Ontario is on the cusp of helping oil-sands emissions explode. Shell Canada wants permits to be granted by the end of this year for a new refinery in Sarnia to process oil from its oil-sands mines in Alberta for use in gas tanks across the GTA.

The company will be submitting its environmental assessment in June, but the governments of Canada and Ontario are already being pressed to make crucial decisions about the refinery.

Making mention of the Pew Foundation/Charitable Trusts here is ridiculously over-simplified. The groups that the Pew fund, through the money from Sunoco (who continue to refine tar sands oil and make multiple billions), are overwhelmingly among the most tame and market driven ones-- deflecting actual campaigning against the tar sands. The story below, while it contains valuable nuggets of information, must be making those who misdirect resistance to the tar sands smile.

--M

Environmental groups blacken reputation of Alberta oilsands

Sask. to go nuclear?
By NEIL WAUGH, EDMONTON SUN

Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason went off the Richter Scale in the legislature last week. What else is new.

This time it was over Premier Ed Stelmach's nuclear energy policy.

Basically, the policy says let's study it now and come up with a position later after the premier promises to "ask Albertans for their opinions.

"We can't put our heads in the sand," Stelmach told Mason.

(I suspect, though, he was thinking of another place to shove the pesky socialist's noggin.)

Ottawa fast tracks Kearl mine permit
Decision to green-light Imperial oil sands project for a second time now sits with cabinet
DAVID EBNER AND BRIAN LAGHI
Globe and Mail
May 19, 2008

CALGARY, OTTAWA — — Work on an $8-billion oil sands mine that was delayed by the loss of a key federal water permit is now likely to get under way within weeks because Ottawa sees the file as "important" and is putting it on a fast track.

Big Oil on the Water
Skating Around the Tanker Issue

By CHRIS GENOVALI

A well known Victoria, British Columbia radio talk show host once told local Conservative MP (Member of Parliament) Gary Lunn on air that he was such a good skater (as in skating around the issues) that he should be competing in the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics.

May 15, 2008 - For Immediate Release
Jailed Algonquin Leader Begins Hunger Strike
Second Algonquin Chief Going to Jail - McGuinty Government Does Nothing

On February 15, 2008 Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
(AAFN) Spokesperson Robert Lovelace was sentenced in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Kingston to 6 months in maximum security, plus crippling fines, for peacefully protesting uranium mining in the Ardoch homeland. Chief Paula Sherman was fined $15,000 and given until today to pay the fine, failing which she will be jailed.

Eni finds oil sands deposits in Congo
By Ed Crooks in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo

Published: May 20 2008 03:00 | Last updated: May 20 2008 03:00

Eni, the Italian oil group, has discovered a large oil sands deposit in the Republic of Congo that is expected to become Africa's first large unconventional oil development and could hold several billion barrels.

Paolo Scaroni, Eni's chief executive, said the project, due to begin production in 2011, opened "a new front" in the development of unconventional oil.

It's open season on natural gas pipeline

CONFERENCE: State's intentions don't faze competing ventures.
Petroleum News

Published: May 12th, 2008 11:07 PM

The two North Slope producers looking to build a natural gas pipeline in Alaska plan to move forward even if the state awards a license to a competing project, according to a senior executive.

Oil thirst means a moderate U.S.
Don't worry about American election, says ex-premier
Sheila Pratt, Edmonton Journal
Published: Monday, May 19, 2008

Alberta has little to fear from the tough talk in the U.S. on climate change heading into the fall presidential election, says former premier Peter Lougheed.

"Even though it's an election year, and that makes it more difficult, it's going to be challenging for the United States to avoid having a moderate position," Lougheed said in an interview.

Mackenzie faces new setback
Governmental panel postpones release of environmental report till 2009
NORVAL SCOTT // May 16, 2008

CALGARY -- The Mackenzie gas pipeline has been slapped with a new significant regulatory setback, delaying the $16.2-billion project by at least a year and highlighting the increasing roadblocks facing companies seeking to develop major oil and gas projects.