Economics drive tar sands operations. Record highs in oil prices, though still fluctuating, will make tar sand oil ‘economical’ (read: profitable) well into the future. Government subsidies to this environmentally disastrous process remain in place from a time when the federal government was sponsoring research into the possibility of recovering this oil. Stock prices of tar sands developers grow the more conventional oil is scarce.
Locals lose out in Alberta's oil boom
By Ian McKinnon and Reg Curren Bloomberg News
Published: June 12, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/11/bloomberg/bxoil.php
CALGARY: Marilynn Sjulstad says she is experiencing the pain of an oil-fueled economic boom in Alberta while deriving little benefit from it.
Sjulstad, a 57-year-old Edmonton resident who has arthritis and fibromyalgia, says her rent will soon jump 27 percent - five times the increase in her monthly disability check.
Connector route roughed out
The sections marked in red show where logging roads already exist. The blue is the “to-do’ part of the proposed Connector.
http://www.northernsentinel.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=16&cat=23&id...
By Ryan Calvery
Jul 04 2007
Although a definitive right of way has never been carved out for a Houston-Kitimat road link, one resident has mapped out a plan that involves private investment.
Transplanted wild rose likes B.C. better
http://www.quesnelobserver.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=27&cat=48&id=...
By Andrea Johnson
Jul 08 2007
Went back to Wild Rose country a few weeks ago.
Fuelled by a major energy boom, Alberta hasn’t really changed from when I was last there two years ago.
Except for the fact both Edmonton and Calgary boast a population of more than one million, there is road construction chaos everywhere – infrastructure is crumbling.
California clean air standards a danger to Cdn oil industry
2007-06-08
http://money.canoe.ca/News/Other/2007/06/08/4243714-ap.html
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Clean-air agreements signed by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and two Canadian provinces could dramatically slow oil production in the Alberta tar sands.
Ontario and British Columbia have agreed to adhere to California's low-carbon fuel standards, which means the provinces will have to curb oil production sources that create high amounts of global-warming emissions.
CNPC Signs Canadian Oil-Sands Agreement
2007-07-02
The Wall Street Journal
http://english.cri.cn/3130/2007/07/02/262@244638.htm
In a sign of the expanding international ambitions of China's oil companies, China National Petroleum Corp. has bought the rights to explore for oil in Canada.
The state-owned parent of Hong Kong- and New York-listed PetroChina Co. will develop an oil-sands field that is estimated to contain about two billion barrels of a thick and hard-to-process form of oil called bitumen.
July 6, 2007
Clipper pipeline hearing set Nov. 5
http://dcnonl.com/article/id23517
CALGARY
The National Energy Board has scheduled a hearing on an application from Enbridge Pipelines Inc. to construct and operate the Canadian portion of the Alberta Clipper Expansion Project.
The Canadian portion of Alberta Clipper would involve the construction and operation of approximately 1,074 km of new 914 mm outside diameter (36-inch) oil pipeline between Enbridge’s Hardisty Terminal and the Canada - United States border near Gretna, Manitoba.
Three-year Suncor contract gets nod from union workers
UPDATED: 2007-07-06 01:53:16 MST
By CP
http://calsun.canoe.ca/Business/2007/07/06/4317550-sun.html
FORT McMURRAY -- About half of unionized workers at Suncor Energy Inc. near Fort McMurray have voted in favour of a new three-year contract.
Members of the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) Local 707 approved an agreement including a wage increase of 7% in the first year and 6% in each of the following two years, as well as a $4,000 lump sum payment.
FORT MCMONEY, FORT MCPROBLEMS
http://www.vueweekly.com/articles/default.aspx?i=6751
ANDREW CISAKOWSKI / cisa@vueweekly.com
For the past decade, Fort McMurray has grown at a rate of 10 per cent per year, over twice the provincial average. During this time it has developed all the characteristics of a boomtown: skyrocketing prices, overstretched infrastructure and a growing homeless problem. Only able to raise money through increasing property taxes, the city is at a loss of how to deal with these problems. More and more, public pressure is mounting for oil companies to foot the bill.
TransCanada boosts size of planned Keystone line
Tue Jul 3, 2007 11:43 AM EDT138
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&stor...
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp. (TRP.TO: Quote) said on Tuesday it plans to boost the capacity of its proposed Keystone oil pipeline from Alberta to the U.S. Midwest to 590,000 barrels a day, from 435,000 barrels, after shippers committed to sending more crude on the line.
Exxon frets over Arctic gas pipeline cost
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/pipeline/story/8934914p-8834883c...
'NOT VIABLE': CEO weighs inflation impact on projects in Canada, Alaska.
By WESLEY LOY
Anchorage Daily News
Published: May 31, 2007
Last Modified: May 31, 2007 at 06:16 AM
Exxon Mobil Corp.'s chief executive told stockholders Wednesday that rising costs to build pipelines to exploit Arctic natural gas from Alaska and Canada possibly could red-light the projects as uneconomic.
