Land

Oil sands pipeline to U.S. refineries nears approval
JAMES MCPHERSON
Associated Press
March 4, 2008

BISMARCK, N.D. -- The U.S. State Department intends to issue a permit this month for a $5.2-billion (U.S.) pipeline that would transport crude oil from central Alberta through seven states to U.S. refineries.

The State Department, in a decision published yesterday in the Federal Register, said that if no other federal agency objects, a permit will be issued within 15 days for the Keystone pipeline, a project of TransCanada Corp., Canada's largest natural gas shipper, based in Calgary.

"The reality is that the best oilsands rights have already been secured, promises to investors have been made, plans have been drafted, money is being spent and the areas proposed for the time out have marginal potential."

Therefore, the need to shut down the tar sands and *cancel* the existing leases....no more industry-friendly greenwash courtesy of Pew/Sunoco and other multi-billion dollar US foundations.

- Tarpit Pete

Oilsands lease issue tempest in a teapot

It's hardly a call to slow development in the Athabasca region

Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post

Finally Canada's establishment newspaper gets it right! The proposed partial moratorium is indeed a PR greenwash smokescreen:

The Great Coal Rush and Why It Will Fail
by Richard Heinberg
MuseLetter #190 (February 2008)

This MuseLetter, and several more during the next few months, will be
chapters for a forthcoming book on coal, to be published by Post Carbon
Press. This month's issue is the book's Introduction.

The world appears poised for a headlong sprint toward greater dependence
on coal. This book's purpose is to examine one crucial question that
will shape this next great coal rush: How much is left?

The answer from conventional wisdom is, Lots. Coal appears to be the

TransCanada plans direct oil line to Gulf Coast

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 25 -- TransCanada Corp. said it is considering an oil pipeline directly to the US Gulf Coast from Alberta's oil sands, press reports said Feb. 21.

An alternative would be to connect Alberta oil sands with Gulf Coast refineries by converting underused natural gas pipelines for part of the route, Chief Executive Officer Hal Kvisle was reported as saying.

Oil patch split over proposal for partial moratorium
NORVAL SCOTT
February 25, 2008

CALGARY -- A business-led lobbying effort to create a partial moratorium on oil sands development in order to free up conservation land has divided Canada's major energy companies, while a government decision on the issue will likely be delayed until after next Monday's provincial election.

Major oil producers - led by Petro-Canada Corp., Suncor Inc., Husky Energy Ltd., Shell Canada and Imperial Oil - have for the first time called on Alberta to slow development in the Athabasca region.

Pipeline approvals ease strain on network
NORVAL SCOTT
Globe and Mail Update

February 24, 2008 at 10:39 PM EST

CALGARY — Pipeline companies are set to build the projects needed to transport higher levels of crude production from Alberta's oil sands, resolving the question of how energy firms will bring their future output to market.

Last week, the National Energy Board – Canada's energy regulator – approved two projects being proposed by Calgary-based Enbridge Inc., including its giant Alberta Clipper pipeline that would allow increased exports to Wisconsin.

Sun, February 24, 2008
Clipper pipeline project approved
But Canadian regulator attaches conditions
By LAUREN KRUGEL, CP

CALGARY -- The National Energy Board has approved the $2-billion Alberta Clipper oil pipeline proposed by Enbridge Inc. but attached certain conditions in response to concerns raised in public hearings last November.

The 1,600-km pipeline will stretch from Alberta to Wisconsin and will have an initial capacity of 450,000 barrels of oil a day.

New Pipeline Approved
Feb 21 2008 7:19PM
KXMBTV Bismarck

The Public Service Commission gives the go-ahead for a 218 mile oil pipeline through eastern North Dakota.

The Keystone Pipeline will run through eight counties. You can see it on this map.

The pipeline will carry about 600-thousand barrels of oil per day from Alberta to Illinois and Oklahoma.

Commissioner Kevin Cramer says it's in the public interest to build the pipeline.

Matt Price and Allan Adam

Citizen Special

Thursday, February 21, 2008
Todd Korol, Reuters

Canadians are becoming familiar with the scale of destruction in the
tarsands, something that First Nations of the region have known for some
time now.

And people around the world are learning why our country has taken such an
obstructionist role on global warming. Canada and the Bush administration
stand alone against the rest of the world because with the tarsands we are
housing the single most destructive project anywhere on Earth, and the
Americans are getting the oil.