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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Tar Sands Mining in Canada Creates Mercury, Arsenic Pollution

Oil-Sands Mining in Canada Creates Mercury, Arsenic Pollution, Globe Says
By James Kraus - Aug 10, 2010
Bloomberg

Canada’s oil sands mining operations are producing vast and fast-growing amounts of mercury, heavy metals, arsenic and other toxic substances, the Globe and Mail reported, citing data released by Environment Canada.

The volume of arsenic and lead produced and left behind in talings ponds by bitumen mines run by Syncrude Canada Ltd, Suncor Energy Inc. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc rose 26 percent, the newspaper reported.

Aecon Group adds Alberta tar sands contractor

Aecon Group adds Alberta oil sands contractor

Eric Lam, Financial Post
Aug. 9, 2010

TORONTO -- Toronto-based Aecon Group Inc. said Monday it has offered to purchase the assets of Alberta oil sands contracting services business Cow Harbour Construction Ltd., currently under creditor protection, for $180-million.

If approved, Aecon would become one of the largest mining and land reclamation contractors in the oil sands. It is already the largest construction and infrastructure development company in Canada.

Madagascar oil auction seen in Oct this year

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Madagascar's auction of 50 offshore Indian Ocean oil blocks is likely to proceed in October this year after months of political turmoil delayed the process, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The auction has been postponed due to a military-backed coup on the island last year, but Joeli Lalaharisaina, acting director general of the Office of National Mines and Strategic Industries (OMNIS), said it would happen this year.

Suncor Energy reports tar sands production numbers for July 2010

Suncor Energy reports oil sands production numbers for July 2010

CALGARY, ALBERTA, Aug 05, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Suncor Energy Inc. reported today that the company's oil sands production during July averaged approximately 322,000 barrels per day (bpd). Year-to-date oil sands production at the end of July averaged approximately 260,000 bpd. Suncor is targeting average oil sands production of 280,000 bpd (+/- 5%) in 2010.

Oil leak in Michigan shines negative spotlight on Canada's Enbridge

By: Lee-Anne Goodman, The Canadian Press

3/08/2010

WASHINGTON - The leak of more than three million litres of Alberta crude from a Canadian pipeline into a rural Michigan creek is shining a harsh spotlight on Canada's Enbridge Inc. in a country increasingly fed up with Big Oil after months of devastation in the Gulf of Mexico.

Keystone XL Pipeline would ship oil and jobs south

Pipeline would ship oil and jobs south
Published On Sun Aug 08 2010

Dave Coles President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union

An unlikely coalition of Calgary oil workers, Nebraska farmers, Michigan mothers, Greenpeace shock troops and a powerful U.S. congressman have a chance to achieve what many thought impossible — bring a Canada-U.S. oil pipeline project to a screeching halt.

The pipeline they are trying to stop is a 9,600-kilometre monster designed to ferry black bitumen from the Canadian tarsands due south to planned refineries on the Gulf of Mexico.

Groups challenge plans for Utah tar sands mine

By Steven Oberbeck

The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated Jul 27, 2010 11:12PM

A small Canadian company, in need of millions for its ambitious plans, also is facing stiff opposition from two Utah environmental groups that are trying to thwart its efforts to build one of the first commercial tar sand mines in the country.

Earth Energy Resources, based in Calgary, Alberta, received approval a year ago from the staff of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining to begin working a 62-acre deposit on the Uintah County-Grand County line.

Alberta Hides Dirty Truth as US Demands Tar Sands Facts

Potential buyers of tar sands oil want to know its true carbon footprint, but industry won't come clean.

By Andrew Nikiforuk,
July 29, 2010
TheTyee.ca

Tar sands are 82 per cent more polluting than average crude, estimates US government, but Canada doesn't keep track.

New Suncor 'coming together'

$480M profit trounces forecasts one year after merger

By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald; Postmedia News
July 30, 2010

The new Suncor is starting to jell a year after its blockbuster merger with Petro-Canada, its chief executive said Thursday after the company marked a return to second-quarter profitability.

"I really feel like the team is coming together," CEO Rick George told analysts.

Enbridge Pipeline break hits U.S., Canada refineries

Enbridge Pipeline break hits U.S., Canada refineries
Mon Jul 26, 2010

HOUSTON, July 26 (Reuters) - An oil pipeline break in Michigan on Monday shut part of a system carrying Canadian crude oil to the U.S. Midwest and southern Canada, Enbridge Energy Partners (EEP.N) said.

No one was hurt, but about 19,500 barrels of oil was released into a creek that then carried the oil into the Kalamazoo River, an Enbridge news release said. Crews with skimming equipment were responding.

Enbridge hoped to have the line repaired and restarted by Wednesday, a spokesman said.