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.

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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.

Activists heckle Netanyahu during talk on green growth

Activists heckle PM during talk on green growth
By SHARON UDASIN 02/28/2012
Jpost
Environmental economics vital to future development, and even to efforts against Iran, says Netanyahu.

Protesters disrupted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s opening address at Tuesday’s First National Green Growth Convention, with shouts against the government’s intended planning and building reforms.

The reforms intend to streamline the building approval process and make it more efficient, minimizing the participation of local committees and outside organizations in the initial planning process.

Canadian oil: Could some of it be headed for California?

Canadian oil: Could some of it be headed for California?
For The Los Angeles Times
By Kim Murphy

February 21, 2012
Reporting from Seattle

Much of the focus behind Canada’s push to build a new oil pipeline to the West Coast has been to diversify its markets, to reduce its reliance on the U.S. as a customer. The Canadian government says it wants to start selling oil to China and South Korea.

But there are strong indications that California could be the ultimate destination for much of the oil shipped on the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.

Canada threatens trade war with EU over tar sands

The row over the EU's plan to label tar sands oil as highly polluting escalates as Canada says it 'will not hesitate to defend its interests'

Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 February 2012

Canada has threatened a trade war with European Union over the bloc's plan to label oil from Alberta's vast tar sands as highly polluting, the Guardian can reveal, before a key vote in Brussels on 23 February.

Eastward No! Enviros Warn of Tar Sands Heading to Maine Coast

Eastward No! Enviros Warn of Tar Sands Heading to Maine Coast
- Common Dreams staff

Cenovus gets price boost with direct sale to China

Cenovus gets price boost with direct sale to China
carrie tait
CALGARY— From Thursday's Globe and Mail
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012

Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE-T38.890.280.73%)sold its first drops of oil directly to China last week, fetching a higher price for its crude than if it sold its bounty in North America, and now plans to strike more export deals with Asian buyers.

EU 'Grandstanding' On Energy Imports, Says Federal Resources Minister Joe Oliver

02/16/2012

CALGARY - Federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver is calling a European effort to bar oil imports from Alberta's oilsands nothing more than grandstanding.

Proposed changes to the European Union's fuel quality directive would reduce emissions from transport fuels by 10 per cent in the next decade — a goal that would make it more difficult to import oilsands fuel.

Oliver says the European position is both unscientific and an attempt to single out Canadian crude.

Keystone XL key issue in U.S. election

By Yadullah Hussain, Financial Post February 10, 2012

The last time David H. Wilkins came to the National Post office for an editorial board meeting was in 2005. He was then U.S. Ambassador to Canada and President George W. Bush's key man in Ottawa.

Summing up the U.S.-Canada relationship at the time, Mr. Wilkins recalled a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mr. Bush: "The President said: 'I will tell you what my policy is on Canada. My policy is to help Canada.' "

Too Much Energy Used to Mine, Move Bitumen Says BC Firm

'Energy Return on Investment' hard to justify says P.G.-based engineering
analyst.

By: By Geoff Dembicki 6 February
2012, TheTyee.ca

A B.C. engineering consulting firm claims it has hard numerical proof that
Enbridge's Northern Gateway proposal augurs poorly for the future of modern
society.

The Prince George-based C.J. Peter Associates
Engineeringcame to this conclusion after
performing an EROI analysis on the
$5.5-billion project.

Canada's tar sands emerging as an energy heavyweight

By SYED RASHID HUSAIN

Published: Feb 5, 2012

ARAB NEWS.

The energy world is in a transition. It is undergoing a major metamorphosis. New energy frontiers are cropping up and the global energy map is changing fast. Of these new emerging global energy centers, the landlocked province of Alberta in Canada, with its rich resource base, stands out in more than one ways. Many say Calgary, its most important city, is the Dhahran of tomorrow or at least the equivalent of it.

Trinidad and Tobago: A 'mammoth project' with India?

A 'mammoth project' with India?
By David Renwick
Trinidad Express
Jan 31, 2012

It may not be generally recognised but the upgrader project that Energy and Energy Affairs Minister Kevin Christian Ramnarine pursued with Reliance Industries during the Trinidad and Tobago delegation's visit to India last month, led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has enormous game-changing (sorry to use a now popular cliché) implications for this country's energy sector.