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.
Energy sector transformed by 2009 transactions.
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010
Canwest News Service // Calgary Herald
CALGARY – It was the year of the mega-deal.
Despite fewer overall transactions, merger and acquisitions in 2009 were dominated by a handful of super-deals that reshaped the oilpatch landscape for the decade to come as familiar faces fell by the wayside, to be replaced by some new players sure to become household names.
If you ever needed evidence that the consciousness rising around tar sands the world over was powerful, look at the horse-hockey that the Can West chain (through their Edmonton Journal) is reduced to. There is no technoligcal fix. It is currently science fiction.
Rick George is also one of the main architects of the NACC (North American Competitiveness Council) that, among many things, authored the now-defunct Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and has been one of the leading voices in 'helping' to deliver the Olympic corporate farce to Vancouver for February, 2010. When PetroCanada was bought out by Suncor, Rick George became the president and CEO of the principle energy supplier to the Games.
Canada Approves PetroChina's $1.9 Billion Majority Stake In Athabasca Oil Sands
January 1, 2010 6:55 a.m. EST
AHN Staff
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (AHN) - Canadian Industry Minister Tony Clement has okayed PetroChina International Investment Company Limited to take a majority ownership in the Athabasca Oil Sands Corporation.
Clement said he approved the application for PetroChina to pay $1.9 billion for a 60 percent stake in Athabasca's MacKay and Dover Oil Sands projects after he became satisfied the investment would provide a net benefit to Canada.
U.S. consul general watching oilsands closely
The Canadian Press
Date: Saturday Jan. 2, 2010
CALGARY — A career diplomat is keeping a close eye on the failures and successes within Alberta's oilsands and is reporting what she learns to the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.
Review panel green-lights Mackenzie pipeline
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 30, 2009
CBC News
Canadian Arctic gas pipeline report due Wednesday
Tue Dec 29, 2009
CALGARY, Alberta, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The panel assessing the socioeconomic and environmental impact of a C$16.2 billion ($15.6 billion) gas pipeline in northern Canada will issue its long-awaited report on Wednesday, a day earlier than expected, the Northern Gas Project Secretariat said.
The Joint Review Panel has been preparing its findings and recommendations on the proposed 1,220 km (760 mile) Mackenzie Pipeline since public hearings into the project wrapped up more than two years ago.
Tibetan Glaciers Are Retreating
At An Alarming Rate
By James Hansen
20 December, 2009
Giss.nasa.gov
Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau, sometimes called Earth's "third pole", hold the largest ice mass outside the polar regions. These glaciers act as a water storage tower for South and East Asia, releasing melt water in warm months to the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and other river systems, providing fresh water to more than a billion people. In the dry season glacial melt provides half or more of the water in many rivers.
TransCanada weathers the storm.
Calgary Herald
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
Canwest News Service
CALGARY – TransCanada Corp. managed to weather the downturn surprisingly well.
After an uncertain start to 2009, the Calgary-based pipeline company, which operates Canada's largest natural-gas network, managed to advance its suite of growth projects despite the financial crisis and the recession.
County commission votes to oppose pipeline
By PAIGE CARSWELL
Published: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 1:39 PM CST
Cowley County commissioners passed a resolution during their Tuesday morning meeting in support of denying a property tax exemption to TransCanada Keystone Pipeline.
The resolution states several reasons the exemption should not be granted, including that businesses operating within the lines of a county should “pay their fair share” and that the pipeline has not been given a tax exemption in any other state.
