Energy

TransCanada mum on Keystone XL spur into Bakken
By BLAKE NICHOLSON 10.31.08
BISMARCK, N.D. -

TransCanada Corp. says it has enough contracts with oil shippers to proceed with a second Keystone pipeline that would move crude oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast, though it is mum on the possibility of a spur into western North Dakota.

The Keystone XL pipeline would enter the U.S. in Montana and run through South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma on its 1,980 mile route to Texas. It would not cross any part of North Dakota.

World's Crudest Extraction
At the tar sands they’re digging up dirty fuel
November 8, 2008
by Macdonald Stainsby

The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca

EDMONTON, ALBERTA–When the Albertan government recently put forward $25 million to counter the negative press around tar sands mining, Premier Ed Stelmach strained credulity by stating: "In terms of David and Goliath, I've been in this position before, and now I'm here."

Brazil oilfield may house '100bn barrels'
By Jonathan Wheatley in São Paulo
Published: November 7 2008

Brazil's newly discovered "pre-salt" oilfields may contain more than
100bn barrels, Haroldo Lima, head of the industry regulatory, said on
Friday.

Mr Lima said just the pre-salt oilfields already under concession may
contain between 50bn and 80bn barrels and that the total area could
surpass 100bn barrels.

If so, the new fields would propel Brazil up the world league table of
oil producing nations. Brazil currently has reserves of about 12.6bn

Umm, don't legacy seekers usually do something in the direction of repenting? A little bit, maybe?

--M

Published on Friday, November 7, 2008 by McClatchy Newspapers

Bush Officials Moving Fast to Cut Environmental Protections
by Renee Schoof

WASHINGTON - Not done making a mess of the world yet.

US President George W. Bush walks away after discussing the
transition with the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect
arack Obama with staff members, on the South Lawn of the White
House, November 6, 2008. In

Pipeline company opens office - Roger Harris

November 04, 2008 11:00 PM

A COMPANY proposing to transport oil through a multi-billion pipeline between Alberta and Kitimat will be officially opening their offices in Terrace and Kitimat next week.

Enbridge will use the offices in the two communities to inform the public about the project.

The project needs federal regulatory approval. Construction would require skilled workers.

Kelly Lake Cree Nation Denounces Pipeline Bombings

On October 17th, the Kelly Lake Cree Nation released a statement (below)
denouncing the recent attempts to sabotage a nearby gas pipeline in
northeast British Columbia.

On October 11th and 16th there were two separate explosions directed at
the pipeline, which is owned by the Calgary-based EnCana corporation.

Neither explosion caused any serious damage to the pipeline, however the
second one created a small rupture that forced its temporary closure. As
root force explains, “workers had been on high alert since the first

Arctic Energy Resources Will Be Needed
by Floyd Roland
Published November 6 2008

Canadians right now are concerned about the economy. As our largest trading partner faces the prospect of recession, businesses and individuals in Canada are worried about what that will mean for us. The outcome of the U.S. presidential election and its consequences are also on the minds of many Canadians. And the ongoing turmoil in world financial markets has reminded us just how inter-related global affairs have become.

Warning: Barbara Yaffe is the author.
--M

Obama's win signals a larger role for Canada in managing North America
Barbara Yaffe, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Tuesday's historic changing of the guard in Washington D.C., sets the stage for a realignment of the world's closest bilateral relationship.

During his campaign, Barack Obama pledged to lead a more diplomatic and multilateralist U.S. Which suggests Americans may consult Canada more often on foreign and continental policy.

Obama win could upset oilsands: Expert
NEIL MACKINNON /METRO CALGARY
November 05, 2008 05:06
AnswerTips-enabled

A Barack Obama presidency may hold some environmental trouble for Alberta’s energy dependent economy, says the University of Calgary’s Institute for United States Policy research director.

Stephen Randall said with Obama in power, a pipeline running from Alaska through Alberta to the States might not go ahead, causing an economic ripple throughout the province.

Clip from below:

And a Canadian leak that weakened the credibility of Mr. Obama's position on NAFTA in rust-belt states created a political headache, although Ms. Greenwood bets it is forgotten. She said that Canada already has a card it can play to make its interests relevant to Mr. Obama, by selling itself as the solution to a U.S. "obsession" with energy security.