Water is needed in huge amounts in tarsands production and in all other construction stages of tarsands infrastructure across the continent. It takes five litres of water to produce one of usable petrol. There is also water used to move gas, build new tar pits or that water which becomes polluted in the outlying areas. Waste tailings ponds are so vast as to be visible from outer space at this early point in production. Water is now being privatized in slow motion, as “access rights” are available in Alberta. As production grows and climate change continues to parch southern Albertan land, more and more water will be needed to help supply fuel for the American market. This water will ultimately be diverted from rivers, lakes, farms and cities throughout Canada; the water levels in the Athabasca River have already dropped several meters. The Deh Cho/Mackenzie River is already threatened, both from development along its valley and it is downstream from tar sands operations. A generation ago, the Athabasca River was clear and drinking was common. Now, those that live with the river consider it poison and off-limits.
Kinder Morgan announcement to twin pipeline triggers community concern in wake of Sumas Mountain oil spill
Abbotsford, BC – Less than two months after a major oil spill at Kinder Morgan’s Sumas Mountain tank farm, the company announced plans to twin their existing trans mountain infrastructure. The most recent rupture of January 24th leaked approximately 110,000 liters of crude oil, raising major concern from local residents with regards to health and environmental effects.
Obama Welcomes Southern Keystone Pipeline
By Olivier Knox, The Ticket/Y!News Blog
27 February 12
Under fire from Republicans over high gas prices, President Barack Obama on Monday cheered news that the Canadian company hoping to build the Keystone XL Pipeline to carry oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico would press ahead with a US-only segment of that controversial project.
"The president welcomes today's news," spokesman Jay Carney said. "We support the company's interest in proceeding with this project."
Eesti Energia hopes to sell the majority of the Jordanian project in 2012
Juhan Tere
baltic-course.com
Estonian state-owned energy giant Eesti Energia wants to complete the Jordanian oil shale consuming power station procurement and find investors before the end of the year 2012, LETA/Postimees Online reports.
After that, the share of Eesti Energia in the Jordanian project will decrease to around 10%, Eesti Energia finance director Margus Kaasik told the press on Monday.
Aboriginal Affairs turns over part of its consulting role to pipeline company
By Trish Audette,
Edmonton Journal
February 29, 2012
EDMONTON - Long before a public hearing began this year into a controversial pipeline proposed to carry Alberta oil to the B.C. coast, Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada knew it did not have the resources to address First Nations concerns about the project, newly public documents show.
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.
February 20, 2012
by Common Dreams
'It's Going to Be War': First Nations Battle Canadian Tar Sands
- Common Dreams staff
Eastward No! Enviros Warn of Tar Sands Heading to Maine Coast
- Common Dreams staff
Times Argus [Vermont]
Published: February 15, 2012
Letter to the editor
Energy behemoth on the hunt
Enbridge, Ipsos-Reid poll, and disinformation tactics
Opinion 250
By Peter Ewart
Friday, January 06, 2012
One of the aims of disinformation campaigns is to shake the resolve of people. And we are seeing ample evidence of this in the campaign to sell the Enbridge pipeline which, if constructed, will stretch across the lands and waterways of Northern BC and result in major oil tanker traffic in the ocean waters off BC’s Pacific coast.
Big 2011 profits for Cenovus
February 16, 2012 | PEU160212
Cenovus Energy, one of Canada’s largest in situ oil-sands producers, posted 241% higher fourth-quarter profits as a result of higher production and prices. The company, which was spun off from Encana in late 2009, made net profit of C$266 million ($266 million) in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with $78 million the year before. Production climbed to 144,273 barrels a day (b/d) from 129,593 b/d in the same period in 2010. Net in situ oil-sands output rose by 23%, to 74,596 b/d, from 60,789 b/d in fourth-quarter.
