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.
Detroit: Say no to refinery expansion
January 10, 2008
By ED McARDLE
In the debate over record gas prices, some experts point to dwindling supplies unable to meet soaring demand, while others stress lack of refinery capacity in the United States. Marathon Oil believes it has the answer.
High oil prices? You ain’t seen nothing yet
Week of January 13, 2008 // Petroleum News
If you think $100 per barrel oil is costly, consider $180 per barrel oil.
The former is here, while the latter may be in our not-too-distant future, according to two well-known oil industry analysts.
While energy prices retreated during the second week of January amid continued signs of a slowing economy and forecasts for mild weather in the Northeast, crude oil prices are still hovering about 70 percent higher than year-ago levels.
Jan. 11, 2008, 12:08PM
S.D.: Pipeline Passes Regulatory Hurdle
By DIRK LAMMERS AP Business Writer
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A proposed oil pipeline that would deliver Canadian crude to U.S. refineries has passed another regulatory hurdle.
TransCanada Corp. said Friday that it has received a Final Environmental Impact Statement from the U.S. State Department that says its planned Keystone Pipeline project would result in limited adverse environmental impacts.
Suncor production misses mark
Jan 11, 2008 04:30 AM
CALGARY–Suncor Energy Inc. says its oil-sands production during 2007 averaged about 236,000 barrels per day, short of the target 240,000 to 245,000.
In December, output at Suncor's oil-sands operation at Fort McMurray, Alta., averaged 234,000 barrels per day, down from 266,000 in November.
Suncor reports production numbers monthly from its operations. The numbers are preliminary and subject to adjustment.
Production volumes will be confirmed when fourth-quarter financial results are released Jan. 22.
Canada oil sands projects flunk green test-groups
By Jeffrey Jones
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Canadian oil sands mining projects, seen as a key source of North American energy supply for decades to come, have been given poor environmental marks in a report released on Thursday, with even the best performer barely garnering a passing grade.
Environmental groups Pembina Institute and World Wildlife Fund surveyed 10 Alberta oil sands ventures, including seven yet to start producing, for attention to land, air emissions, water, climate change and overall environmental management.
What is it that prevents Pembina Institute and WWF from just saying "Stop!" to the tar sands instead of just lobbying to improve their "environmental performance." Maybe it is something to do with the fact that they both receive multi-million dollar funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts, whose parent companies Sun Oil/Sunoco built the first tar sands project in 1967 and who continue to refine large amounts of sythetic tar sands crude oil in Ohio and are planning to extend tar sands supply pipelines as far east as their refineries in Philadelphia.
- Tarpit Pete
Action must be taken now to deal with peak of oil
Jan 05, 2008 04:30 AM
Tyler Hamilton raises three crucial points in his article:
Gasoline prices, the Canadian-U.S. dollar exchange rate and crude oil have all passed a critical benchmark over a short period of time.
Not only is this a sign of fundamental changes within our economy, it is unfortunately very much beyond control of the Canadian consumer.
It is high time for the government to realize that the world oil peak is imminent and that necessary adjustments will require years to impact our energy economy.
January 7, 2008
Impacting Unimpaired
New agreements like the SPP and TILMA are aimed directly at unimpeded extraction in the tar sands
by Macdonald Stainsby
The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca
BLM: Tar sand development may hurt parks
By BOBBY MAGILL
The Daily Sentinel
Monday, January 07, 2008
Tar sands development could severely affect Utah’s Canyonlands National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and a stretch of the San Rafael Swell along Interstate 70, according to a Bureau of Land Management report.
Gas producers await fate of Alaska pipeline
West at risk
Jon Harding, Financial Post Published: Tuesday, January 08, 2008
CALGARY -- Almost half the natural gas pipeline capacity leaving Alberta today for markets across the continent could sit empty by 2018 unless an Alaska pipeline gets built and connects to the Alberta hub, says a new study by the Canadian Energy Research Institute.
