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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Lake Athabasca north shore busy with mining

Lake Athabasca north shore busy with mining
By Don Jaque 25.JUN.08
Slave River Journal

Red Rock Energy is one of at least seven exploration companies actively drilling for uranium on the north shore of Lake Athabasca in the Uranium City vicinity.

Peak Oil: IEA Inches Toward the Pessimists’ Camp

July 1, 2008, 2:56 pm
Peak Oil: IEA Inches Toward the Pessimists’ Camp
Posted by Keith Johnson

What’s up with oil prices? Well, it’s not speculators, and there’s no relief in sight, meaning at least five more years of high prices with no easy fixes. The ugly truth? Peak oil isn’t fringe anymore—it’s going mainstream.

That’s the reading from the latest oil market report from the International Energy Agency, the rich-country energy watchdog. The IEA’s latest x-ray of the oil market includes plenty of disturbing nuggets.

Indigenous people ask G8 for climate talk inclusion

Indigenous people ask G8 for climate talk inclusion
Fri Jul 4, 2008 10:53am EDT
By Yoko Kubota

SAPPORO, Japan (Reuters) - Indigenous communities from around the world urged G8 rich nations on Friday to help them participate in global climate change talks, saying they contributed least to but are most affected by global warming.

Clad in colorful traditional robes, 26 representatives from countries including the United States, Canada, and Japan, along with some 400 students, activists, and academics, met on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.

Mackenzie Pipeline or Pipe Dream?

This seems to be good news, but the underlying keys here are: Rising costs, costs due to the rising price of crude; these rises are directly linked to the *drive* to construct the pipelines that are ultimately needed for the continued growth of the Athabasca Tar Sands region. Two, as indicated, part of the reasoning against the MGP is the region of BC's Northeast corner perhaps containing vast reserves previously unknown.

You won't believe the title of this far right wing article...

This is rather, ahem, self explanatory...
Especially when you read the bio of the author, on a site with several ex-Fox writers.

--M

Alberta Heavy Crude to be World’s cleanest production
By Mark Smyth Monday, June 30, 2008

For those who were not aware of the joint statement from the 76TH ANNUAL U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS in Miami this past week, to boycott Canadian gasoline made from oil sands heavy crude, pay very close attention.

Disaster Capitalism: State of Extortion

Disaster Capitalism: State of Extortion
by Naomi Klein
July 3, 2008
The Nation

Once oil passed $140 a barrel, even the most rabidly right-wing media hosts had to prove their populist cred by devoting a portion of every show to bashing Big Oil. Some have gone so far as to invite me on for a friendly chat about an insidious new phenomenon: “disaster capitalism.” It usually goes well–until it doesn’t.

Issues - New ERCB directive on toxic tailings is a huge step in the wrong direction

RICARDO ACUÑA / ualberta.ca/parkland

The Alberta Government, along with their friends in the oil industry, have recently embarked on a major campaign to educate Canadians and Americans about the fact that extraction of oil from Northern Alberta’s bituminous sands is actually an environmentally friendly and ecologically sound process.

Nexen and Statoil demanding "Clarity" on tar sands projects

"Clarity", meaning an assurance that no changes will be made to the regulatory approval process or environmental requirements, is demanded by major corporations who wish to be able to produce in the tar sands without oversight-- i.e., they "demand" the maintenance of the status quo. Nexen is one of the "partners" of the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI), a grouping that partners with many of the largest corporations that exist, receiving most of their funding through Ducks Unlimited Canada through Ducks Unlimited in the United States-- where the money originates with the Pew Foundation.

India looking at investments in Canada tar sands: state oil firm

India looking at investments in Canada tar sands: state oil firm
2 days ago

MADRID (AFP) — India could invest up to 10 billion dollars (6.34 billion euros) in Canada's tar sands oil industry, the head of the country's state oil company said Thursday.

Canada has vast reserves of tar sands -- a dense mixture of sand, water and petroleum used to extract bitumen -- but the development of the industry is controversial because of its environmental impact.

India eyes $2.5 bln investment in Canada tar sands

Thu Jul 3, 2008 7:38am EDT

MADRID (Reuters) - Indian firms could invest $2-$2.5 billion for stakes in
Canadian tar sands projects, a top official said on Thursday, as part of
efforts to secure overseas energy assets to fuel the country's fast-growing
economy.

Oil Secretary M.S. Srinivasan said at the World Petroleum Congress in Madrid
the companies were looking to pick up holdings rather than buy foreign
firms.

Earlier this year, the head of state-run explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (