Social Impacts

Behold! Canada's most disgusting export
Nothing like Alberta's's revolting oilsands to destroy your optimism
By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Are you having one of those days? One of those moments where you feel like you've endured a simply relentless onslaught of negative news and economic hardship coupled to endless rounds of cretinous politicians -- all of whom enjoy fully paid health care on your tab -- debating whether or not you'll be able to afford to see a doctor ever again, all to the point where you say, you know what? I need just one more.

Enbridge to raise cost estimate on Pacific pipeline
Tue Oct 6, 2009

CALGARY, Alberta, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc (ENB.TO) expects to raise the cost estimate for the Northern Gateway pipeline, last pegged at around C$4 billion ($3.77 billion), when it seeks approvals for the oil sands export line later this year, it said on Tuesday.

Millions at stake in oilsands dispute

By Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald
October 2, 2009

Up to $100 million could be at stake this year in a dispute between the Alberta government and oilsands giants Suncor and Syncrude, according to auditor general Fred Dunn.

In his semi-annual report released Friday, Dunn said there's an ongoing tussle regarding whether the two long-lived oilsands operators can use a lower price for bitumen in their royalty calculations.

Suncor Says Oil Sands Becoming Increasingly Important
By Sonja Franklin and Doug Alexander

Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Suncor Energy Inc. Chief Executive Officer Rick George said Alberta’s oil sands are increasingly important as a supplier of energy.

“As conventional oil worldwide becomes increasingly difficult to find, develop and more costly, the oil sands, the second-largest oil base in the world, will play a bigger and bigger role,” he said in a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto today.

North America Refining Industry to 2013: Investment Opportunities, Analysis and Forecasts of All Active and Planned Refineries in North America

Summary

Suncor expanding in Sarnia
Published On Sat Oct 03 2009

SARNIA–Suncor Energy Inc. will spend about $120 million over the next year to double the production capacity of its St. Clair ethanol plant near Sarnia, to 400 million litres a year, the company announced Friday.

"This is great news for Suncor, for southern Ontario and for Canada," said Suncor president and CEO Rick George in a statement announcing the expansion.

Alberta won't apologize for remarks about oilsands protesters: solicitor general

October 6, 2009

EDMONTON — Alberta's solicitor general says the government won't apologize for publicly weighing in on how it thinks oilsands trespassers should be prosecuted.

Fred Lindsay says he respects the independence of judges and prosecutors, and his comments and those of Premier Ed Stelmach only reflect their concerns for public safety.

Lindsay and the premier caused waves with remarks about 16 Greenpeace activists who were charged after trespassing at an oilsands upgrader near Edmonton.

Eyeing a Total oil sands package

Nathan VanderKlippe/The Globe and Mail

Jean-Michel Gires discusses Total's future in Canada

NATHAN VANDERKLIPPE

CALGARY — From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Oct. 06, 2009

French petroleum giant Total SA could add fuel to the oil sands' resurgence as the company nears a decision on a major expansion project, the company's new Canadian head said yesterday.

Tuktoyaktuk: a community on the frontline of climate change
Emma Bocking
1st October, 2009

Canadian coastal communities are faced with rising sea levels as the government continues to support destructive tar sands mining.

As the tar sands move forward, Canada's north is fighting the effects

The hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk on the northern coast of Canada is facing the steadily rising Arctic Ocean ­ at roughly the rate of 3mm per year, which may soon force the community to relocate further south.

Ormat’s Opti Takes On Oil Sands In Alberta, A Dirty Deed For The Company’s “Clean” Image
Submitted by Maurice Picow on October 4, 2009

Israel’s ORMAT Industries Ltd (ORA) has joined with its subsidiary Opti Canada Inc in a project in extract and produce a high grade of petroleum from oil sands located in northern Alberta Canada. ORMAT is a world leader in producing energy from unconventional sources, including geo-thermal energy from volcanoes and hot springs under the earth’s surface.