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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Groups Sue Feds to Stop Keystone Pipeline

*Groups sue feds to stop pipeline*
*By Janell Cole*
*State Capitol Bureau - 08/08/2008*

BISMARCK — Environmental groups, including one from North Dakota, have sued
the U.S. State Department to stop the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, saying
the government failed to fully consider its health and environmental hazards
before giving approval.

The listed hazards include global warming.

The company said there is nothing wrong with how the federal government
examined the line's environmental impacts.

The Natural Resources Defense Fund, Dakota Resource Council of Dickinson,

Shell slammed over "sustainable" tar sands advert

ASA rules advert claiming tar sands projects are part of a "sustainable future" is misleading
James Murray, BusinessGreen, 13 Aug 2008

Oil giant Shell has once again had its knuckles rapped by the watchdog for overstating its green credentials after it claimed in an advert that its $10bn oil sands project in northern Canada represented a "sustainable energy source".

Take Charge: Dirty Work in Alberta

Take Charge: Dirty Work in Alberta
By Morgan Goodwin - August 26, 2008
Take Charge Campaign

This newsletter is provided by the Take Charge Campaign, a local initiative to encourage and to help people to conserve energy. It is published twice a month.

This week in Dirty Energy: Alberta Tar Sands

What's happening in the Alberta tar sands in Canada is the most destructive project on Earth, according to Environmental Defence. Thousands of square miles of tundra are being scraped away to harvest an oil-rich layer of earth between 10 and 80 feet deep.

NAFTA paves U. S. route to energy from north

NAFTA paves U. S. route to energy from north
Pipelines may let area share boom
By Jerry Zremski NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF

Beneath the forests of Alberta, 2,300 miles miles northwest of Buffalo, you’ll find the latest black gold: a mix of sand and oil being mined as a new kind of gusher.

And Alberta’s Athabasca Oil Sands are just part of a petroleum boom that has made Canada the world’s top supplier of oil to the United States.

Canadian Oil Officials to Meet With Obama Adviser, Star Reports

By Sean B. Pasternak

Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian government and oil industry officials will meet with Senator Barack Obama's top energy adviser today to promote Canada's oil-sands industry, the Toronto Star reported.

The meeting with Jason Grumet will be led by Conservative Party member Tony Clement, the Star said. Officials are hoping to shed Canada's label of producing expensive oil that requires large amounts of energy and water to extract, the newspaper reported.

Enbridge begins early planning of $5-billion Gateway pipeline project

August 6, 2008
Oil and Gas Infrastructure
Enbridge begins early planning of $5-billion Gateway pipeline project
Richard Gilbert // staff writer

The largest private infrastructure project in the history of British Columbia is in the early planning stages.

Enbridge Corporation hopes to construct a twin pipeline and marine facility in Kitimat.

The Gateway pipeline project involves the construction of a petroleum export pipeline, a condensate import pipeline and a marine tank terminal to service both pipelines.

Early estimates peg the cost near $5 billion.

Indian Uprising Radio: Price of tar sands oil

Thursday, August 21, 2008
Indian Uprising Radio: Price of tar sands oil
KFAI's Indian Uprising, August 24, 2008 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CDT #279
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2008/08/indian-uprising-radio-price-of-tar...

Daryl Sager (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe), Energy Justice Program
Associate, Fresh Energy, Inc. Fresh Energy of St. Paul, Minnesota is
an organization leading the transition to a clean, efficient and fair
energy system. Its goals are: Healthy Economies, Healthy People,
Healthy Environment and Energy Independence. Fresh Energy focus areas

Many hurdles ahead for TransCanada's US$26 billion Alaska pipeline

Many hurdles ahead for TransCanada's US$26 billion Alaska pipeline
August 2008 // The Energy News

CALGARY _ There are still numerous hurdles TransCanada Corp. (TSX:TRP) must clear before it can break ground on its proposed US$26-billion Alaska pipeline, not the least of which is getting shipping commitments from natural gas producers in the region, an analyst said Wednesday.

Green groups quit tar sands forum

Green groups quit oil sands forum
Protest move made as Industry Minister in U.S. to address concerns about environmental impact
PAUL HAAVARDSRUD AND SHAWN MCCARTHY
August 19, 2008

CALGARY AND OTTAWA -- Three groups have quit a government-sponsored forum for assessing environmental costs in the oil sands, a move that undercuts government efforts to burnish the image of the massive developments in U.S. markets.

Will Canada's oil boom be an environmental bust?

Will Canada's oil boom be an environmental bust?
By ROB GILLIES – Aug 23, 2008

FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta (AP) — The largest dump truck in the world is parked under a massive mechanical shovel waiting to transport 400 tons of oily sand at an open pit mine in the northern reaches of Alberta.

Each Caterpillar 797B heavy hauler — three-stories high, with tires twice as tall as the average man — carries the equivalent of 200 barrels of heavy oil worth $23,000 per haul at today's prices.