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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Canada in "The Prize"

With the approach of the 150th anniversary of Canadian petroleum this year (1858-2008), I was reminded of something that has been on my mind for some time. It has to do with Daniel Yergin's best selling book "The Prize". This book is considered to be the most authoritative book on petroleum history. Even though I found this book to be very informative and interesting, I was upset by the fact that so little was written in it regarding Canada's oil.

Mankind can't afford more oil drilling-ex-BP exec

Mankind can't afford more oil drilling-ex-BP exec
By Gerard Wynn

LONDON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Known oil, gas and coal reserves may already contain a quarter more carbon than mankind can emit and still avoid dangerous climate change, putting the value of new oil exploration in doubt, said a former oil major executive.
The oil industry may be wasting $50 billion annually searching for new fields, said Jan-Peter Onstwedder, formerly BP's most senior risk manager. He left BP in December.

Production from unconventional source expected to gain supremacy

Oilsands future looks rosy
Production from unconventional source expected to gain supremacy
John Morrissy, Canwest News Service
Published: 1:31 am

OTTAWA - Canada's oilsands are taking over where conventional oil production left off, with profits in the oil-extraction industry rising 18 per cent to a record $23 billion in 2008 on rapidly rising output from the huge oil reserves, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

Environmentalists' report to call for Ottawa to act on tar sands

BILL CURRY
From Friday's Globe and Mail

February 15, 2008

OTTAWA - Alberta's oil sands are the most destructive project on Earth,
causing environmental damage well beyond provincial borders, a new report
says.

>From acid rain falling in Saskatchewan to toxic pollution spewing from
Ontario oil refineries, a report to be released this morning by
Toronto-based Environmental Defence calls on Ottawa to act where Alberta
will not.

The environmentalists will be joined by two Alberta native leaders, who will

ConocoPhillips Wants to go Nuclear in the Tar Pits

ConocoPhillips seeks oil sands cost-cutting
By Bloomberg AP and Staff Reports
2/15/2008

A ConocoPhillips executive says the company would be a "fast follower" if other producers were to successfully use nuclear energy to power Canadian oil-sands operations.

"If they should be successful, we would be fast on their heels," Kevin Meyers, president of the Canadian unit of ConocoPhillips, said this week during an energy conference in Houston hosted by Cambridge Energy Research Associates.

Chief Terry Nelson: Letter to WFPress on Keystone Pipeline

Dear Editors of Winnipeg Free Press

First of all, I thank you for sending a reporter to our Treaty One Press
Conference. I would also like to clarify some of the comments makes
regarding the issue in the article and then for the benefit of the readers
to restate some of the conference information left out of the article as
written by Ms. Welch.

"The First Nations hope to parlay those consultations into a funding deal
that would give the bands a source of revenue, similar to property taxes
collected on the pipeline by rural municipalities."

Chávez's Oil Threats Slick but Not Solid

Chávez's Oil Threats Slick but Not Solid
Halting Exports Would Hurt Venezuela More Than U.S.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, center, has threatened to halt oil sales to the United States.
By Steven Mufson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 13, 2008; Page D01

Northern pipelines (Alaska Highway, MGP) at mercy of global energy prices, experts say

Northern pipelines at mercy of global energy prices, experts say
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 | 3:05 PM CT
CBC News

Natural gas pipelines being proposed in the North may never be built at this point if global energy consumers can instead import liquefied natural gas from other sources around the world at cheaper prices, experts say.

Projects like the Mackenzie pipeline in the Northwest Territories and the North Slope pipeline down the Alaska Highway have been in the planning stages for decades, with Mackenzie pipeline proponents waiting for regulatory approvals.

"We are willing to pay for our emissions with offsets."

How Crude
Midwest refineries source more crude from tar sands; emissions will rise
Posted at 12:39 PM on 12 Feb 2008

Conoco not Planning Immediate Expansion in the Tar Pits

Conoco content with current oil sands position
Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:54am EST

HOUSTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The head of ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) in Canada said on Wednesday the company is content with its oil sands position and has no current plans for expansion.

"We have a substantial resource position, and at this time, we're focused on developing that resource position," Kevin Meyers, president of ConocoPhillips Canada, told reporters after a CERA conference breakfast meeting.