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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Lubicon fight proposed TransCanada pipeline

Lubicon fight proposed TransCanada pipeline
© Indian Country Today April 04, 2008. All Rights Reserved
April 04, 2008
by: Kate Harries

TORONTO - The Lubicon Lake Indian Nation in northern Alberta is
gearing up to fight a proposed jumbo pipeline that would carry natural
gas from the Mackenzie Valley in the west to the oil sands
developments to the east.

The $983 million proposal follows a history of industrial development
across the unceded Lubicon territory that has left the 500-member Cree
nation impoverished, poisoned and disregarded by Canada and Alberta -

Oil peak theorist warns of chaos, war

Oil peak theorist warns of chaos, war
SHAWN McCARTHY
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

WASHINGTON — Matt Simmons sounds the alarm like the Cassandra of the
oil industry, warning that crude production has peaked and that
looming energy shortages could derail global growth and even spark
armed conflict.

As a prominent “peak oil” theorist, the veteran oil industry financier
paints a grim picture of a world facing resource scarcity. Still, it
doesn't take a “peak-ist” to conclude that the global oil producers

Five years of war in Iraq have hit home in Edmonton

Iraq War
Five years of war in Iraq have hit home in Edmonton

DAVID BERRY / david@vueweekly.com

The further we get away from the actual date, the better Canada’s decision to not get involved with the US invasion of Iraq looks. Five years after the US launched its ill-conceived assault on the Middle Eastern nation, there aren’t many—except perhaps those in the highest offices of the American government—who consider the situation anything but a quagmire.

Utah: Oil-shale 'rush' is sparking concern

Oil-shale 'rush' is sparking concern
By Stephen Speckman
Deseret Morning News
Published: Saturday, March 22, 2008

With oil prices surpassing $100 per barrel, talk of extracting the black gold wherever it can be found in Utah and elsewhere is raising red flags for environmental groups.

The most recent complaint came this week from 26 conservation groups that accuse the Bush administration of rushing to develop oil shale and tar sands and endangering communities and 2 million acres of wild lands in three states, including Utah.

Peak Oil May Worsen the Climate Crisis

Peak Oil May Worsen the Climate Crisis
April 02, 2008 10:45 AM ET | Marianne Lavelle

It's hard to know whether we should be more worried that consuming oil is killing the planet or that there's way too little of this killer oil left.

Taking a bet on tar sands (from Malaysia)

Taking a bet on oil sands

WITH crude oil hitting a record price of US$108 per barrel recently, the search for oil and gas has been more intense than ever due to its high profit margin.

In recent years, investing in the extraction of oil from sand or oil sands is gaining popularity because of the strong demand and high prices of oil.

UTS Energy, Teck Cominco plan new tar sands mine

With each new project, the practical viability of a mere moratorium on tar sands production becomes ever more clear.

Outgoing CEO of Imperial Oil wants to Fast Track MGP, Greenwash Tar Sands

Imperial CEO says oilsands needs to burnish its image

Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2008

When Tim Hearn started working at Imperial Oil Ltd. 41 years ago, oil was worth US$1.80 a barrel and natural gas 16¢ per thousand cubic feet.

With oil prices nearing US$110 and gas prices US$10,Mr. Hearn, 64, is retiring on March 31 as CEO and chairman of Imperial, leaving behind a company with no debt and pushing forward some of Canada's largest oil and gas projects. Mr. Hearn will be replaced by Bruce March, 51, an Exxon Mobil Corp. refining executive.

Contamination threatens the North Coast way of life

Contamination threatens the North Coast way of life
Iain Hunter, Special to Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, March 29, 2008

I'm told that when other people in British Columbia turn off a few lights at 8 p.m. today to observe Earth Hour, the folks in Hartley Bay are making a bit more of a sacrifice by shutting down the town's only generator.

It's said to be a dry run for the day when they can close the thing down for good and switch to greener and safer hydro generation, for they've been reminded what could lie ahead.

Stelmach named ‘Canadian Fossil Fool of the Year’ by environmental groups

Stelmach named ‘Canadian Fossil Fool of the Year’ by environmental groups
Award

SCOTT HARRIS / scott@vueweekly.com

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has been crowned “Canadian Fossil Fool of the Year” by a coalition of youth environmental organizations.
Stelmach was given the award, also dubbed a “Foolie,” for promoting increased production in Alberta’s tar sands and in recognition of the provincial government’s recent climate change plan, which focusses on intensity-based targets rather than absolute reductions in emissions.