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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Limits to growth and the Hedberg conference

Published on 3 Oct 2007 by ASPO-USA / Energy Bulletin. Archived on 3 Oct 2007.
Limits to growth and the Hedberg conference

by Dave Cohen

Fear grows in darkness; if you think there's a bogeyman around, turn on the light.
— Dorothy Thompson

Oil on the slide

Oil on the slide
We have had plenty of warnings about the consequences of an early peak in global oil production, but no one in Westminster seems to be listening.
Jeremy Leggett
October 2, 2007 4:00 PM

Sask. Tar Sands being linked to McMurray by Highway

Highway work will link La Loche, Fort McMurray
The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, September 21, 2007

Construction has begun on the highway, currently known as Garson Lake Road, that will eventually connect La Loche to Fort McMurray -- increasing access for the remote northern Saskatchewan community to its booming Alberta neighbour.

The province hopes this step will boost economic opportunities and provide a better quality of life for people in northern communities.

The Globe on Raising Tar Sands Royalties

If Albertans want it all, oil sands must pay
October 2, 2007

Listening to the great Alberta royalty debate is like watching the Yankees play the Red Sox: It's hard to know which overprivileged group to root against. Should you boo the oil sands CEOs, who pay too little? Or jeer the provincial politicians, who spend too much?

Shut up about the deckchairs!

In his latest entry, Jonathan Dawson stresses on the need for a
collective 'peak moment'
by Jonathan Dawson
New Statesman (September 28 2007)

One of the ports of call during the last two weeks that I have been away
was the sixth international conference of ASPO (the Association for the
Study of Peak Oil) in Cork. This is the body, founded by former oil
geologist Dr Colin Campbell, which more than any other has brought to
public consciousness the imminent peaking in the availability of cheap
fossil fuels.

‘Fun’ was hardly the word for it, but it was good to be in the company

"Sovereignty tussles over Arctic territory threaten to impede oil and gas exploration"

[also called: How I learned to wave the flag? Maybe not...]

Polar politics
Sovereignty tussles over Arctic territory threaten to impede oil and gas exploration

Andrea W. Lorenz

This year marks the first International Polar Year since 1958. Far from being a vicarious adventure for wide-eyed audiences listening to crusty geologists talk about hair-raising encounters with polar bears, this event takes place amidst a growing number of potentially serious international disputes.

From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility

Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of
Possibility
by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger
Houghton Mifflin, 344 pages, $25.00

What We Know About Climate Change
by Kerry Emanuel
MIT Press, 85 pages, $14.95

Climate Change: What It Means for Us, Our Children, and Our Grandchildren
edited by Joseph F C DiMento and Pamela Doughman
MIT Press, 217 pages, $19.95 paper

Note: Bill McKibben will be answering questions from readers about his
article "Can Anyone Stop It?" and the possibilities for action to stop

SPP Super Highway almost ready: US Senator

Copyright 2007 The Tulsa World
Tulsa World (Oklahoma) // September 29, 2007
Senator: NAFTA Superhighway is nearly a reality
RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer

State Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, said Friday that the so-called
"NAFTA Superhighway" is "close to reality" and is being built for
"transporting goods and people from Mexico and China."

Brogdon made the remarks during a news conference at Tulsa
International Airport for the Oklahomans for Sovereignty and Free
Enterprise conference being held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at

NEB Head calls Hearings into MGP "Success"

NEB head pleased with process
DAVID EBNER // October 1, 2007

CALGARY -- The epic regulatory review of the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline has been a success in terms of collecting and assessing the many views on the controversial project, according to the new chairman of the National Energy Board.

"I feel we've done a superb job listening to everybody, carefully," said Gaétan Caron, in his first formal interview. "We haven't cut any corners. We've taken into account all the views people have about the project and we will finish the task of hearing the evidence in October."