Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Energy

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.

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Suncor's coke solution? Ahoy, Port Alberta (Near Prince Rupert)

Suncor's coke solution? Ahoy, Port Alberta
PATRICK BRETHOUR
Globe and Mail
July 25, 2008

PRINCE RUPERT -- The massive pyramids of coal on Prince Rupert's Ridley Island are anonymous, but one has a story to tell.

The coal pile in question belongs to oil sands giant Suncor Energy Inc., which is already shipping a half-million tonnes a year through Prince Rupert to Asian and Mexican ports. Suncor hasn't decided to branch out into the coal mining business. The coal - to be more precise, petroleum coke - comes from its upgrading operations in Fort McMurray, Alta.

Natives push moratorium on Shell methane project (north BC)

Natives push moratorium on Shell methane project
The Canadian Press

September 13, 2008

Prince Rupert -- Support is growing for a moratorium on drilling in an area called the Sacred Headwaters, say opponents of a coal-bed methane project near the Nass River in northern British Columbia.

More than 150 people attended an information meeting in New Aiyansh this week to discuss the project proposed by Shell Canada.

In 2004, Shell Canada was awarded a 400,000-hectare tenure for coal-bed methane development in the area, also known as the Klappan.

New coke facility to open by 2010: ConocoPhillips (Illinois).

New coke facility to open by 2010: ConocoPhillips unit cost is $2 billion
Thu. September 11, 2008

A new $2 billion coke unit at the ConocoPhillips Wood River Refinery should be in use in two years.

Before the end of 2010, the new coke oven is expected to be in operation at the Roxana plant and help expand daily production capacity from 306,000 barrels to approximately 360,000 barrels. That will translate into 312 gallons of gasoline and fuel produced each day.

Whose energy independence?

Whose energy independence?
Tar sands are key to energy security plans in the US election, but federal parties ignore Canada’s dependence on foreign oil

RICARDO ACUÑA / ualberta.ca/parkland

One of the ways in which the current US presidential election differs from the current Canadian federal election is that oil prices, energy independence and energy security are all critical campaign issues for the US.

Enbridge and BP plan pipes to get Canada oil to Gulf

Enbridge and BP plan pipes to get Canada oil to Gulf
Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:40pm EDT

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc (ENB.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and BP Plc (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) plan to spend up to $2 billion expanding their pipeline systems to ship growing volumes of Canadian crude oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast, they said on Friday.

Alberta oil, gas land sales double

Alberta oil, gas land sales double
Dan Healing, Calgary Herald
Published: Thursday, September 04, 2008

Fifteen successful bids of more than $1 million each powered the first Alberta oil and gas properties land sale of September to a total of $58.6 million.

That's more than double the corresponding sale of a year earlier, which brought in just $21.7 million, according to numbers posted Wednesday on the Alberta Energy website.

Imperial's March "Optimistic" on Mackenzie Gas Project Prospects

Imperial's March Optimistic on Mackenzie Prospects

By Reg Curren

Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Imperial Oil Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Bruce March, head of Canada's largest oil company, said he's the most optimistic he has been in the past five years about the chances of the Mackenzie gas pipeline proceeding.

Recent comments from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is seeking re-election on Oct. 14, have boosted Imperial's confidence for the C$16.2 billion ($15.2 billion) project to proceed, March said at a Toronto investor conference today.

Explosions in Metro Vancouver 'rare'

Explosions in Metro Vancouver 'rare'
Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun // Wednesday, August 13, 2008

METRO VANCOUVER - Propane tanks, underground gas pipes, and trains and transport trucks rolling through Metro Vancouver all pose the risk of an explosion similar to the one that rocked Toronto last weekend.

Metro officials say although there is always a risk, it's low because the industry here is so strictly regulated.

As well, the fallout would likely not be as widespread because most oil and gas facilities are located in industrial areas away from residential neighbourhoods.

Opti/Nexen Long Lake tar sands project on track for first production later this month

This project should likely become a lightening rod against Sag-D production as it is also one of the dirtiest in history, as it uses a gunk it calls "asphaltene"-- the left over crap from the Sag-D project. This produces vastly higher GG emissions, which are already on average 3-4 times higher than in regular oil in tar sands production, and slightly more in Sg-D production. This plant is only 8 kilometers from the indigenous and Metis settlement of Anzac.

--M

Long Lake tar sands project on track for first production later this month

September 2, 2008 - 21:58