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.
Ottawa tightens muzzle
Documents reveal scientists need approval from minister's office before speaking with major media - a measure one researcher calls 'Orwellian'
By MARGARET MUNRO, Postmedia News
September 13, 2010
The Harper government has tightened the muzzle on federal scientists, going so far as to control when and what they can say about floods at the end of the last ice age.
Utah agency approves oil-sands project
By PAUL FOY (AP) – September 13, 2010
SALT LAKE CITY — A top Utah regulator approved plans Monday for the first commercial U.S. oil sands project.
John Baza, director of Utah's Division of Oil, Gas & Mining, upheld an earlier decision by his staff to give Earth Energy Resources Inc. a permit to mine a 62-acre pit in eastern Utah.
Environmental activists had objected to the project and demanded a hearing held by Baza in July.
Evolution of an oilsands 'dinosaur' killer
Potential alternative to upgraders untapped for two decades
By Dave Cooper, Edmonton Journal September 8, 2010
EDMONTON - A process developed in Alberta almost two decades ago that turns bitumen into oil without using upgrading facilities could be a "game changer" for the province, says the co-developer.
"I could never understand why we wouldn't try something simpler and easier for handling bitumen," said Edmonton's Keng Chung, president of Well Resources Inc., who now spends much of his time in China.
Enbridge signs Husky deal
Sunrise Project Next In Line; Project raises investments in oilsands to $2.3B
By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald September 8, 2010
CALGARY -- Enbridge Inc. on Tuesday continued to redouble its oilsands expansion plans with a deal to tie Husky Energy's proposed Sunrise oilsands project to its Cheecham distribution hub in northeast Alberta.
The Calgary-based shipper said it had signed a $475-million deal with Husky to build and operate the facilities which will initially ship 90,000 barrels per day to its transportation hub near Conklin starting in 2013.
Secret German analysis warns of peak oil and coming energy crisis
By Stephanie Dearing.
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Recently economically dominant governments have been turning their attention to studying the future of energy, trying to calculate when there might be an energy crisis.
In an ideal state, any government would prefer to circumvent a potential energy crisis. But analysis leaked from a German Military think tank, the Bundeswehr Transformation Center, states a crisis in the near future is increasingly inevitable, according to Der Spiegel.
Canadian Natural Resources, subcontractor charged in 2008 oilsands drowning
By The Canadian Press
September 3, 2010
EDMONTON - Workplace safety charges have been filed against petroleum producer Canadian Natural Resources and one of its subcontractors in an oilsands death two years ago.
Rick Boughner, 47, died in September 2008 when an excavator he was using tipped over and sank into a tailings pond, causing him to drown.
Transcanada’s Keystone Pipeline Shut Down for Work
By Aaron Clark and Samantha Zee - Sep 3, 2010
TransCanada Corp. shut its Keystone pipeline Sept. 1 for unscheduled maintenance work, Michael Barnes, a company spokesman said in a telephone interview. The line is expected to resume service by Sept. 8, he said.
TransCanada expects to make all September deliveries on time, Barnes said. The inline inspections will take place throughout the 2,151-mile (3,461-kilometer) pipeline.
Now it all becomes clear: Premier due on Pelosi's mat next week
Stelmach's measured response to recent petro-goofs seemed out of character until we learned of his plans to see U.S. Speaker
By Graham Thomson, edmontonjournal.com
September 4, 2010
Every week the Alberta government releases what's officially called the "public itinerary" of meetings for the premier, cabinet and caucus -- which means, of course, journalists are left wondering what's on the unofficial "private" itinerary that we don't get to see.
