Energy

Devastation, Madagascar

France's Total and US based Madagascar Oil tangle with military governments to push tar sands projects forward

Macdonald Stainsby

December 27, 2010
Mediacoop.ca

Weaknesses monitoring oilsands pollution must be corrected, report says

By Mike De Souza, Postmedia News
December 21, 2010

OTTAWA — There are "significant" weaknesses in monitoring pollution from Alberta's oilsands sector that must be corrected, a scientific panel concluded in a report released Tuesday.

The findings were submitted to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government last week after a two-month analysis that was commissioned by former environment minister Jim Prentice.

Here is a prediction that I hope is wrong. This 'coalition' of tar sands producers will finish their sharing of dry tailings technology, which is already being advertised by Suncor on the side bar of google.

What a perfect combination! Now Total can join in a partnership with the Canadian Boreal Initiative and fund the Pembina Institute, while Suncor can help dig up huge swaths of land all over Africa! It's a win, win!

--M

Suncor, Total team up on oil sands
NATHAN VANDERKLIPPE
CALGARY— From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Dec. 17, 2010 6:17AM EST

Suncor targets 1-M bbl/day with help from Total E&P Canada
Canadian Mining Journal
December 20, 2010

ALBERTA - Calgary-based Suncor Energy has announced plans to increase production to more than one 1 million bbl of oil equivalent daily by 2020. The company says it will boost oil sands production by 10% per year and company-wide production by 8% in each of the next 10 years.

Pipeline concerns East Texans
Posted: Dec 15, 2010
By Sara Story, KLTV

WOOD COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - Concerned East Texas land owners are speaking out against the massive pipeline that will pump tar sands oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. A large portion of the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline will be laid in East Texas counties. Friday, an environmental organization will meet with members of the community to discuss the pipeline's hazardous impact.

It's a project that worries land owners like Eleanor Fairchild, 79.

Leaked cable reveals concerns over tar sands oil
By Ed Brayton | 12.08.10 |
The Michigan Messenger

One of the documents released by WikiLeaks, a diplomatic document sent to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton in advance of a presidential visit to Ottawa, Canada, reveals concerns about the higher environmental cost of Canadian tar sands oil compared to regular crude oil.

Madagascar Oil suspends share trading

Madagascar Oil declares it would 'robustly defend its position' after the Madagascar government said it wants to acquire its licences

* Tim Webb
* guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 December 2010

The flotation of Madagascar Oil must go down as this year's most unfortunate. In a move which will be hailed as victory for the world's lemur-lovers, the oil sands developer, which listed on Aim a little more than two weeks ago, announced this morning that it had suspended trading in its shares.

The return of Madagascar’s oil

Posted on November 30, 2010
by Jeremy
Make Wealth History

This week Madagascar Oil was floated on London’s Alernative Investment Market (AIM), raising £50 million.

Tar Sands tailings poisons muskeg and nearby First Nations community
By Ben Powless
| November 26, 2010
Rabble

[photos in original linked at bottom]

The trip out to the tar sands tailings pond reminded me of other recent trips to places where indigenous people were trying to survive.