Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Alberta (& Saskatchewan) Tar Sands

The process of removing the tar from the sand involves incredible amounts of energy from clean-burning natural gas (with nuclear proposed along side), tremendous capital costs during build up, incredibly high petroleum prices to protect investments, and the largest single industrial contribution to climate change in North America. Production also involves the waste of fresh water from nearby lakes, rivers and aquifers that have already created toxic tailing ponds visible from outer space. None of the land strip mined has yet to be certified as reclaimed. It takes 4 tonnes of soil to produce one barrel of oil. The tar sands are producing over 1.2 million barrels of oil a day on average. The oil companies, Canada and the United States governments are proposing to escalate production to 5 million barrels, almost all destined for American markets-- and lower environmental standards while doing so. They also would need to violate the national and human rights of many indigenous nations who are rightly concerned about many dire social, environmental and economic repercussions on their communities.

To get the needed energy supplies, diluent for the bitumen and diverted freshwater to produce and then to transport the flowing heavy bitumen for refining would require massive new infrastructure and pipeline building from three different time zones in the Arctic, across British Columbia and through Alberta in a criss-cross pattern, into pipelines to such destinations as California, China, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ontario, Illinois, Wisconsin and Texas. This entire project is now estimated at over $170 billion dollars. And after the whole process described so far, only then will all this dirty petroleum get burned and expel greenhouse gasses into the air causing further climate change.

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Alberta Tar Sands is a category limited to the location and production of tar sand bitumen, an area the size of the state of Florida in northern Alberta province. The giant processing plants near Fort McMurray where the land itself is strip mined as well as the primarily "in situ" in-ground steam separation/production and extraction plants in the Peace and Cold Lake Regions, all in Alberta, are the "Ground Zero" of the single largest industrial gigaproject ever proposed in human history. The process of removing the tar from the sand involves incredible amounts of energy from clean-burning natural gas (with nuclear proposed along side), tremendous capital costs during build up, incredibly high petroleum prices to protect investments, and the largest single industrial contribution to climate change in North America. Production also involves the waste of fresh water from nearby lakes, rivers and aquifers that have already created toxic tailing ponds visible from outer space. None of the land strip mined has yet to be certified as reclaimed. It takes 4 tonnes of soil to produce one barrel of oil. The tar sands are producing over 1.2 million barrels of oil a day on average. The oil companies, Canada and the United States governments are proposing to escalate production to 5 million barrels, almost all destined for American markets-- and lower environmental standards while doing so. They also would need to violate the national and human rights of many indigenous nations who are rightly concerned about many dire social, environmental and economic repercussions on their communities. To get the needed energy supplies, diluent for the bitumen and diverted freshwater to produce and then to transport the flowing heavy bitumen for refining would require massive new infrastructure and pipeline building from three different time zones in the Arctic, across British Columbia and through Alberta in a criss-cross pattern, into pipelines to such destinations as California, China, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ontario, Illinois, Wisconsin and Texas. This entire project is now estimated at over $170 billion dollars. And after the whole process described so far, only then will all this dirty petroleum get burned and expel greenhouse gasses into the air causing further climate change.

Tailings pond passes second inspection

Tailings pond passes second inspection
Toxic sludge leak story discredited

By Dan Healing, Calgary Herald November 16, 2010

CALGARY - A Tuesday morning tour of an oilsands tailings pond that CBC News claimed appeared to be leaking toxic sludge confirms that it is not, according to Alberta Environment.

"It confirmed what the ERCB (Energy Resources Conservation Board) confirmed (Monday), that all is being done as required in their approval and there is no release," said department spokesman Mark Cooper in an interview.

Tar sands execs set to hear from U.S. groups

Oilsands execs set to hear from U.S. groups

Updated: Sun Nov. 14 2010
The Canadian Press

CALGARY — Oilsands executives are heading to three U.S. cities this week to hear what environmental groups, business leaders, academics and others have to say about an industry heavily criticized for its environmental impact.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has been holding roundtable discussions in several Canadian cities since the summer.

OPTI Canada Shares Drop As Slower Long Lake Growth Seen In 2011

By Edward Welsch

Published November 16, 2010

CALGARY -(Dow Jones)- Shares of oil sands company OPTI Canada Inc. (OPC.T) declined sharply Tuesday after its partner in its Long Lake oil sands project said production next year would be even lower than expected.

Nexen shares tumble on lower Long Lake outlook

By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald November 16, 2010

CALGARY - Nexen Inc. saw its shares fall on Tuesday after the Calgary-based oil producer said its Long Lake oilsands project won't hit full capacity this year or next.

In Alberta, dissenters are just asking for a smack-down

Prominent scientists, doctors, leaders attacked for speaking out

By David Thompson, Edmonton Journal November 15, 2010

Dr. Paul Parks finally got the Alberta government to address his concerns about a potential "catastrophic collapse" of emergency care.

However, it took the media's bright spotlight to make it happen.

Parks had been quietly raising the issue with the government since early 2008, when he began documenting serious problems in emergency wards.

But that didn't get the government to act.

Arctic seen as possible shipping route for massive industrial components

Arctic seen as possible shipping route for massive industrial components
NATHAN VANDERKLIPPE
CALGARY— Globe and Mail Update
Published Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010

As protesters clog a new corridor built to transport the massive building blocks of a new oil sands mine, a small Northwest Territories company has suddenly found itself showered with interest by Asian companies looking for an alternative.

Alta. tailings pond to get federal inspection

Alta. tailings pond to get federal inspection
Last Updated: Monday, November 15, 2010
CBC News

Environment Canada officials will be in northern Alberta on Tuesday to inspect a tailings pond operated by Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. that was the subject of a CBC News investigation.

Federal Environment Minister John Baird made the announcement in the House of Commons on Monday, in response to a question from Alberta NDP MP Linda Duncan.

Oil and water cannot be allowed to mix along B.C.'s stunning coastline

Oil and water cannot be allowed to mix along B.C.'s stunning coastline
By Tyler McCreary
| October 29, 2010

Beneath Alaska, between the islands of Haida Gwaii and the northern British Columbia coast, is the wide but shallow Hecate Strait. Originally termed Seegaay by the Haida, Captain George Henry Richards, affixed the name Hecate to the strait in the early 1860s. Hecate was a Greek goddess associated with magic and crossroads, a governess of the wilderness and liminal regions where the spirits interact with the living.

Nexen earnings rise fourfold

Mechanical problems still plaguing Long Lake

By Jeffrey Jones, Reuters October 29, 2010

Nexen Inc. and Cenovus Energy Inc. on Thursday said operational problems weighed on their quarterly results, prompting investors to pull away from shares of the Canadian tarsands producers.

The issues were both internal and external, and highlighted complexities of developing Alberta's tarsands, the largest crude-oil source outside the Middle East.

350 More Ducks Killed In Canada's Toxic Tar Sands Tailing Ponds

by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 10.28.10
Science & Technology

Just days after Syncrude was fined over C$3 million for , there are more duck deaths to report. At last count, the Vancouver Sun reports 350 ducks have been killed.

The birds landed on the Mildred Lake tailing pond in northern Alberta and had to be euthanized after coming into contact with tarry bitumen floating on the surface. Ducks were found to have landed at similar tailing ponds at Suncor Energy and Shell tar sands facilities.