Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Peak Oil

Peak Oil is starting to be understood across a broad spectrum, but the direct connection between peak oil, climate change and the American market-led attempt to squeeze all energy out of Alberta cannot be overstated. The smaller the global supply of oil gets, the more CO2 has been emitted and the more climate change will have advanced. This leads to more interest in the tar sands—because the profit margin goes ever higher the fewer alternatives there are for petroleum. Without Peak Oil bearing down on humanity, no economical reason would exist to produce this energy intensive, low-output petrol.

warning: Creating default object from empty value in /var/www/drupal-6.28/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.pages.inc on line 33.

Peak Oil is starting to be understood across a broad spectrum, but the direct connection between peak oil, climate change and the American market-led attempt to squeeze all energy out of Alberta cannot be overstated. The smaller the global supply of oil gets, the more CO₂ has been emitted and the more climate change will have advanced. This leads to more interest in the tar sands—because the profit margin goes ever higher the fewer alternatives there are for petroleum. Without Peak Oil bearing down on humanity, no economical reason would exist to produce this energy intensive, low-output petrol.

Greenpeace International hires torchbearer Tzeporah Berman as chief climate campaigner

Greenpeace Greenwash
Greenpeace International hires torchbearer Tzeporah Berman as chief
climate campaigner

by Macdonald Stainsby →2010 Olympics

As the world turned their attention to the spectacle of the 2010
Olympics, Greenpeace International played another kind of game,
appointing Tzeporah Berman as their new energy and climate campaign
director. As a result, she may gain undue influence over the “Stop the
Tar Sands” campaign in Canada and take responsibility for 110 Greenpeace
climate campaigners in 28 countries. In the last few years Berman has been

Husky, BP help fuel tar sands resurgence

Husky, BP help fuel oil sands resurgence

Partners cite sharply lower costs in decision to push ahead with
$2.5-billion Sunrise project
David Ebner
Globe and Mail
Jan. 20, 2010

The energy industry slapped down its second multibillion-dollar bet this week on the oil sands, a strong endorsement for a key sector of the Canadian economy in which development almost stopped during the recession.

Conoco's Surmont Tar Sands expansion to quadruple production (with help from TOTAL).

Conoco's Surmont oilsands expansion to quadruple production
By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald
January 20, 2010

CALGARY — In another sign that Alberta's oilsands sector is on the mend, the Canadian subsidiaries of multinational oil giants ConocoPhillips and Total said Tuesday they plan to quadruple oilsands production by 2015, generating billions of new investment and creating thousands of jobs in the stagnant oilsands sector.

Tar Sands costs driving Shell elsewhere

Oil sands costs driving Shell elsewhere
Company steering exploration dollars to other parts of the world, including the Gulf of Mexico and Kazakhstan

Nathan VanderKlippe

Calgary — Globe and Mail Update Published on Monday, Jan. 25, 2010 8:15PM EST Last updated on Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 4:12AM EST

More than a year after it delayed a decision on a major new oil sands expansion, Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A-N55.39-1.03-1.83%) is backing further away from Canada's richest crude resource.

Oil and gas grab Prentice's pre-Copenhagen attention

The obvious note-- one of general preference for *any* discussion with corporations over those perceived as being "pro environment" is worthy of note, but as important if not more so is that these same ENGO's *all* are corporate themselves. The Pembina Institute is a known corporate partner of Suncor (among others) and heavy promoter of carbon offsets (and 'producing' of these offsets via so-called green energy such as wind and hydro projects, to then sell to corporations like their partner Suncor who them can greenwash their "business as usual" operations without any changes whatsoever).

Shell taps tar sands brakes

Shell taps oilsands brakes

CEO blames high costs for slowed growth

By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald
January 26, 2010

D espite signs of a revival in Alberta's oilsands, one of the world's largest oil companies plans to limit growth in the sector in the coming years, its CEO said Monday.

Speaking to the Londonbased Financial Times in his first major interview since he became the company's chief executive in July, Royal Dutch Shell CEO Peter Voser said the company will slow its oilsands expansion plans and shift focus to conventional exploration in other parts of the world.

TransCanada takes on rival Enbridge

Redrawing the pipeline map
TransCanada takes on rival Enbridge in trying to reshape continental oil movement
David Ebner
Vancouver — From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Jan. 02, 2010

A decade ago, TransCanada Corp. (TRP-T36.190.260.72%) was reeling as the Calgary power and natural gas pipeline company had slashed its dividend and watched its stock price plunge when a rival pipeline came on the scene.

Energy sector transformed by 2009 transactions.

Energy sector transformed by 2009 transactions.
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010
Canwest News Service // Calgary Herald

CALGARY – It was the year of the mega-deal.

Despite fewer overall transactions, merger and acquisitions in 2009 were dominated by a handful of super-deals that reshaped the oilpatch landscape for the decade to come as familiar faces fell by the wayside, to be replaced by some new players sure to become household names.

Globe and Mail bio of Rick George, CEO of Suncor

Rick George is also one of the main architects of the NACC (North American Competitiveness Council) that, among many things, authored the now-defunct Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and has been one of the leading voices in 'helping' to deliver the Olympic corporate farce to Vancouver for February, 2010. When PetroCanada was bought out by Suncor, Rick George became the president and CEO of the principle energy supplier to the Games.

Canada Approves PetroChina's $1.9 Billion Majority Stake

Canada Approves PetroChina's $1.9 Billion Majority Stake In Athabasca Oil Sands
January 1, 2010 6:55 a.m. EST
AHN Staff

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (AHN) - Canadian Industry Minister Tony Clement has okayed PetroChina International Investment Company Limited to take a majority ownership in the Athabasca Oil Sands Corporation.

Clement said he approved the application for PetroChina to pay $1.9 billion for a 60 percent stake in Athabasca's MacKay and Dover Oil Sands projects after he became satisfied the investment would provide a net benefit to Canada.