Energy

Off-Shore Drilling on Hold Thanks to Environmentalists
By SHAWN BELL, SRJ Reporter 12.MAY.09

A major oil company will not drill in the Beaufort Sea due to environmentalists’ concerns.

Shell withdrew its plan for exploration in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea on May 6. The plan spanned 2007 to 2009, but was too large-scale for environmentalists. They voiced concerns about impacts drilling would have on marine wildlife. Shell told the United States’ Minerals Management Services it will file a new exploration plan for 2010.

NWT Promotes Pipeline in Texas
By SHAWN BELL, SRJ Reporter 12.MAY.09

The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment was in Houston, Texas last week, promoting northern gas and reassuring potential investors that the GNWT still supports the Mackenzie Gas Project. Minister Bob McLeod is especially concerned about the US government’s plans to provide more than the current $18 billion in loan guarantees for an Alaskan pipeline, a situation he says weights the playing field in favour of the Americans.

Shell committed to tar sands despite $42m losses

Shell vows to press on with projects amid cost cuts and falling profits

* Terry Macalister
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 29 April 2009

Shell has pledged to continue with its controversial tar sands projects but has been forced to consider far-reaching cost cuts to keep the operations going after they lost $42m (£28m) in the last three months.

The Six Ways to Play Canada’s Oil Sector
By Martin Hutchinson
Contributing Editor
Money Morning

With oil finally trading back above the $50-a-barrel level, it’s time to recognize that crude prices are probably not going to remain low for very long, and may end up fluctuating in the $50-$80 range - regardless of what happens to the prices of other commodities.

As Calif. aims at carbon, Canada sees itself in bull's-eye
By COLIN SULLIVAN AND DEBRA KAHN, Greenwire
New York Times
Published: April 30, 2009

Canadian oil exporters fear that a low-carbon fuel standard adopted by California last week threatens to upset a thriving North American trade in petroleum if the regulation spreads throughout the United States.

Greenpeace Canada heads to Scandinavia to tackle Statoil investments in tar sands
May 12th, 2009

The stench of reality
The Gazette
Saturday, April 25 2009

The tar sands suddenly are a root metaphor for every pressing issue we face both as Canadians and as members of the human species, writes The Gazette's William Marsden in his essay The Perfect Moment. Here is an excerpt:

Apparently buying out Petro Can wasn't enough...!

--M

Suncor Posts Second Straight Loss After Oil Plunges
04/ 23/ 2009
By Gene Laverty

April 23 (Bloomberg) -- Suncor Energy Inc., the oil-sands producer that agreed last month to buy Petro-Canada, posted a second straight quarterly loss after the global recession dragged down crude prices.

Leech Lake, Say No to Tar Sands Pipeline
April 29, 2009

By Nellis Kennedy and Winona LaDuke

Keep your children close, your inhalers in hand and don't forget to stock up on drinking water, as a new pipeline is proposed for northern Minnesota.

Kitimat project worth $1 billion to First Nations

Scott Simpson,
Canwest News Service
Victoria Times Colonist
April 30, 2009

Some First Nations stand to gain more than $1 billion in profits, taxes
and business opportunities from a proposed liquid natural gas project in
northern British Columbia, Canwest News Service has learned.

Proponents of a $4-billion project that includes a 463-kilometre gas
pipeline and a liquefied natural gas plant at Kitimat are still ironing
out final details of a landmark agreement among aboriginal groups,