Energy and how it is captured and consumed is barely viable in tar sands production. While the amount of oil in places such as the tar sands in Alberta or the Orinoco Belt in Venezuela may have deposits of similar size to the reserves of countries such as Saudi Arabia or Iraq, the return of new energy after expending energy in production is not even close. In Iraq, the process of using one barrel of oil generates 100 new barrels. In the tar sands, estimates of 3 to 1 and even as low as 1.5 to 1 have been made. Offsetting the net energy loss would require minimally 25-30 tar sands facilities for one Saudi plant operating at the same capacity.
2 new oil refinery plans in the pipeline
Dirk Lammers, Associated Press
(10-12) 04:00 PDT Elk Point, S.D. --
The United States hasn't built an oil refinery on a new site in more than 30 years, but a pair of projects eyeing out-of-the way corners of South Dakota and Arizona are slowly working their way up to the big leagues.
Bailout boosts refinery
Hyperion stands to get big tax break
Thom Gabrukiewicz • tgabrukiew@argusleader.com • October 10, 2008
Hyperion Resources could benefit in its quest to finance and build an oil refinery near Elk Point with a 50 percent tax write-off - an extension of an existing credit that was inserted into Congress' historic, $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.
Dirty Fuels and the Bailout
As Dayo noted earlier, the final version of the bailout bill was sprinkled with goodies for renewable energy—including tax credits for solar investments and a one-year renewal of the production tax credit for wind power. Unfortunately, clean energy wasn't the only kind of energy to get a tax break. The bill also contains some sizeable tax giveaways intended to promote what may well be the dirtiest energy sources in existence: oil shale, tar sands, and liquefied coal.
Venezuela goes to natural gas cars
Compiled from Herald News Services
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Venezuela, the biggest oil exporter in the Americas, will trade gas-
guzzlers for new vehicles that run on natural gas and provide drivers
with natural gas for their cars for a year in a bid to boost gasoline
exports.
The old cars will be recycled and the country will profit from
increased fuel exports, President Hugo Chavez said Friday.
"We're going to exchange these mobile squanderers with a beautiful
modern family vehicle that uses gas that doesn't cost anything,"
Not In Anyone’s Backyard
Farmers in Alberta are part of the growing rural resistance standing up to development
by Scott Harris
The Dominion
For much of its century-long history, the Schultz family farmstead has been a centre of community for farmers near Tofield, a place where people have gathered to pass time and bond with one another.
Refineries progress, but are years away from opening
By Dirk Lammers, AP Business Writer
Story Published: Oct 10, 2008
ELK POINT, S.D. (AP) – The United States hasn’t built an oil refinery on a new site in more than 30 years, but a pair of projects eyeing out-of-the way corners of South Dakota and Arizona are slowly working their way up to the big leagues.
Pipeline Installation Begins in Marshall County
Friday, October 10, 2008 10:56 AM
(Source: American News (Aberdeen, S.D.))trackingBy Russ Keen, American News, Aberdeen, S.D.
Oct. 10--Some pipe is in the ground and covered with soil in northern Marshall County for the $5.2 billion TransCanada Keystone pipeline that will run through parts of Marshall and Day counties.
That was the word on Thursday from Jeff Raugh, project representative for Keystone. Pipe is in place from North Dakota/South Dakota border south almost to state Highway 10, he said.
Politicians vs. our last healthy industry
Mark Milke, For The Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, October 10, 2008
In a serendipitous release Wednesday, Statistics Canada published data on how much the oil and gas industry spends on extraction, i.e., getting oil and gas out of the ground so we can power our automobiles and heat our homes and offices, among other uses.
The numbers are staggering. In 2007, the industry spent $49.7 billion on capital expenditures. On the operating side, Canada's energy industry cut cheques worth $37.6 billion.
Next president could make huge oil sands deal with Canada
Posted: October 10, 2008, 11:13 AM by Jonathan Ratner
Energy
George Monbiot stirs debate over fate of tar sands
By Matthew Burrows
George Monbiot wants the Alberta tar-sands industry shut down “as quickly as possible”.
The best-selling author, Guardian columnist, and environmentalist told the Georgia Straight he would like to see “large-scale direct actions” to make that happen.
