It is falsely assumed that big projects equal lots of jobs and, by extension, labour peace if not outright satisfaction. The size and scope of the tarsands means for incredibly dangerous work conditions-- some fatalities at the plants have already occurred. The products seldom get their "value added" in union-run locations, instead the heavy bitumen can be shipped to many different locations across North America for refining, denying benefits to the union. However, the Union does not represent the "guest worker", now being imported in increasing numbers as legislation is changed to make access easier, the term of exploitation last longer, without any new efforts or pathways to deciding to stay after helping tear up the earth.
ISRAEL: A controversial shale project and energy security
February 6, 2011
LA Times
The suspension of Egyptian gas supply to Israel has lighted a fire under the feet of Israeli officials, businessmen and shareholders trying to assess how events in Egypt will affect Israel's energy economy.
Initial assessments that it is in Egypt's interests to keep the lucrative gas deals with Israel may prove right when the dust settles. But the shake-up in Egypt is a wake-up call for Israel, too.
OPTI is the Israeli Ormat offshoot, designed to bring "cogeneration" (burning dirty waste gunk for 'in-house' energy) to Canada, ala to make it commercially viable to do the same to a similar oilshale deposit in the Negev Desert.
--M
OPTI 'going to zero,' RBC says
BOYD ERMAN
Globe and Mail Update
Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
OPTI Canada's hiring of Lazard Frères & Co. is a sign that the oil sands developer is "preparing for either a debt restructuring or a bankruptcy proceeding" according to RBC Dominion Securities.
Higher Oil Sands, Downstream Earnings Benefit Suncor
by Allen Good | 02 Feb 11
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Egypt crisis opens door for oil sands
John Ivison, National Post · Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011
The escalating tension in Egypt has provided Stephen Harper with an unexpected opportunity to push for a guarantee that there will be no border tax on Canada's oil sands when he visits U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on Friday.
The two men are expected to sign a major security and trade deal, which will likely be long on promises and short on specifics.
Ditch oilsands monitoring group
Edmonton Journal February 3, 2011
Imagine your boss gave you a job evaluation where you only passed one category out of nine. You would probably be packing up your desk or laying down your tools.
But not if your job was to monitor the impact of the oilsands on rivers and lakes. In that case, you'd be allowed to "adjust" your performance in the future.
Extreme Offshore: The Hunt for Hard to Find Crude
Written by Al Fin
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Brazil's quest for extreme oil may cost as much as US$ 1 trillion. That is a lot of money to invest in a such a risky proposition -- to retrieve oil that is miles deep underwater. But oil prospectors and producers around the world are on the prowl for extreme crude -- found in places that previous generations would not have dreamed of going.
Education, action forum set on pipeline
By the Lincoln Journal Star JournalStar.com |
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Pipeline expert Paul Blackburn of Plains Justice and author Mary Pipher will speak Saturday at an education and action forum about the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline.
A panel will present information on the pipeline, followed by a Q&A with attendees. The forum will run from 10-11:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 2723 N. 50th St., and will wrap up with a grassroots activism training and launch of a new action guide, according to a news release.
Damaged oil sands upgrader to resume production soon
January 11, 2011 | 08:21
Frank Landry | QMI Agency
EDMONTON - An oilsands upgrader damaged by fire last week could resume production at half-capacity sooner than expected, says Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL).
But that will depend on whether the province gives the go-ahead.
The company said it is working with Occupational Health and Safety to determine what went wrong at the site, about 75 km north of Fort McMurray.
Madagascar Oil tax in dispute before float
Rowena Mason
UK Telegraph 04 Jan 2011
Last month the Madagascar government announced that it planned to seize the oil group’s licences forcing Madagascar Oil to suspend trading in its shares just three weeks after the company floated on AIM.
The suspension was another blow to the reputation of the AIM market, coming just weeks after fellow oil minnow Desire Petroleum claimed to have found oil, only to admit days later that it was only water.
