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.
Debate stirred over 1st major US tar sands mine
AP
By CHI-CHI ZHANG, Associated Press – Sun Apr 10 2011
SALT LAKE CITY – Beneath the lush, green hills of eastern Utah's Uinta Basin, where elk, bear and bison outnumber people, the soil is saturated with a sticky tar that may soon provide a new domestic source of petroleum for the United States. It would be a first-of-its kind project in the country that some fear could be a slippery slope toward widespread wilderness destruction.
No to a New Tar Sands Pipeline
Published: April 2, 2011
New York Times
Later this year, the State Department will decide whether to approve construction of a 1,700-mile oil pipeline from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast called Keystone XL. The underground 36-inch pipeline, built by TransCanada, would link the tar sands fields of northern Alberta to Texas refineries and begin operating in 2013. The department should say no.
Enbridge pushes for political support of oil sands pipeline
CARRIE TAIT
CALGARY— From Friday's Globe and Mail
Published Thursday, Mar. 31, 2011
Pat Daniel, Enbridge Inc.’s (ENB-T60.180.761.28%) soft-spoken but increasingly vocal chief executive office, wants Canada’s role in the global energy market to become an election issue, publicly pressuring politicians to support his company’s controversial oil sands pipeline – an unusual and risky tactic that highlights the growing resistance to the project.
Madagascar tar sands: the bloody truth
A short briefing on tar sands in the Melaky region of Madagascar.
http://www.wdm.org.uk/clean-banks/madagascar-tar-sands-bloody-truth
Republicans press Obama to approve oilsands pipeline
By Sheldon Alberts, Postmedia News March 31, 2011
WASHINGTON — The heated policy debate over Alberta's oilsands took centre stage Thursday in the U.S. Congress, with Republican lawmakers claiming President Barack Obama has "failed to act" swiftly enough to ensure a secure long-term supply of Canadian crude.
Interviews with residents of Fort MacKay and Fort Chip, regarding cultural and environmental situations for their communities, especially with respect to the water coming from tar sands operation areas that are allegedly responsible for statistically impossible rates of cancer.
Sally Mauk: First Nations activists see changes since tar sands
By SALLY MAUK for the Missoulian missoulian.com |
Friday, March 18, 2011
I was standing on South Reserve Street in Missoula in the wee hours of the morning recently to report on the transport of two enormous coke drum halves and their impressive entourage of trucks and law enforcement as they snaked past a few dozen chanting protesters.
Waiting for the drums to arrive, I thought about the conversation I had the week before with two Canadians who live in northern Alberta near the world's second-largest deposit of oil.
In America's Capital, a Fierce Fight over Oil Sands
Today begins The Tyee's major series reported from Washington on the intense, high stakes political struggle fueled by Alberta crude.
By Geoff Dembicki, March 14, 2011
TheTyee.ca
In the hallways and offices of America's capital city, a war is being quietly waged out of view of most Canadians and Americans.
The outcome will decide North America's energy future and its impact on the planet's climate.
Canadian Oil Sands Takeover
An Unconventional Future for Crude
By Keith Kohl
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
One quick glance out the window, and I knew we weren't in Baltimore anymore.
In fact, it didn't even seem like we were even in Canada...
The twister had scooped up my beaten-down Chevy and dropped us in the middle of a wasteland.
Having just woken up after rolling into Fort McMurray, my cohort's face immediately scrunched up as the smell of oil wafted inside the car.
Canada provinces continue to back nuclear power
VANCOUVER, March 15 (Reuters) - Key Canadian provinces reaffirmed their support for nuclear power on Tuesday and the national regulator declared the country's generating stations safe even as Japan's crisis spurred other nations to back away from nuclear.
Ontario, Canada's most populous province, said there was no change in its plans to keep the nuclear-powered portion of its electricity output at 50 percent.
