A Canadian company opens a test pit in Utah and could be running a sizeable mine by early 2014. But is there enough water to support the industry? Continue reading
Category Archives: Tar sands
Nation’s First Tar Sands Mine Stirs Water, Environmental Fears Out West
Posted in Development, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Stephen Maher: Critics of climate change are losing their PR battle
University of Calgary Prof. Barry Cooper wrote a funny piece for the Calgary Herald on Tuesday, in which he humorously derided British Columbians for their opposition toward a pipeline that would carry Alberta bitumen to the B.C. coast. Continue reading
The Coming Oil Boom
Forget America’s fiscal cliff, Europe’s currency troubles or the emerging-markets slowdown. The most important story in the global economy today may well be some good news that isn’t yet making as many headlines — the coming surge in oil production around the world. Continue reading
Posted in Development, Fracking, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged deepwater drilling, offshore drilling, oilsands, shale oil
John Merline: Do Greens Have A None-Of-The-Above Energy Policy?
Two environmental groups in April filed suit to block an energy project they said would seriously harm the local ecosystem. Continue reading
Bakken Crude and Canadian Oil Sands in Battle for Space on U.S. Pipelines
Dispute between Enbridge and small U.S. pipeline operator offers glimpse of the industry’s future as North Dakota oil booms. Continue reading
Posted in Development, Keystone XL, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged energy infrastructure, KXL, natural gas, oilsands, shale oil
Oilsands lobby group accuses Tides Canada of ‘laundering’ money
An oilsands industry lobby group with links to the Harper government is urging the Canada Revenue Agency to consider whether Tides Canada, a Vancouver environmental and social justice organization, has violated Canada’s charity laws. Continue reading
Posted in Development, Environmentalism, Fighting back, Green hell, Tar sands
Ivo Vegter: It’s A Disaster That ‘Peak Oil’ Is Not A Disaster
It seems that betting against the “consensus” of left-wing academics, regulatory-state bureaucrats and anti-capitalist activists can be a rather profitable sideline. First nuclear power, and now peak oil. At the rate George Monbiot is changing his mind, we’ll all soon agree that the disaster of the peak oil non-disaster is not much of a disaster after all. Continue reading
Posted in Development, Fracking, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged deepwater drilling, energy infrastructure, natural gas, offshore drilling, oilsands, shale oil
Peter Foster: Not much to fear from CNOOC
The takeover in no way represents a ‘predator’ stealing ‘our’ oil
The proposed $15.1-billion takeover of Calgary-based Nexen Inc. by majority Chinese state-owned CNOOC has inevitably brought out the reflexive economic nationalists, wailing collectivists, fretters about “hollowing out,” champions of “national champions” and peddlers of muddled metaphors. Continue reading
Posted in China, Development, Keystone XL, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Robert Bradley Jr.: Energy Freedom Bus Tour: Hitting the Open Road for Consumers, Taxpayers, and Common Sense
“We will take the vision for affordable energy, common sense regulation, and safe technology to the American people; then return to Washington D.C. to deliver the message — it’s time to free the American people from costly, unnecessary regulations and bureaucracy. It’s time for Washington to untie the hands of American energy producers and manufacturers, and free these job creators to put our country back to work again.” Continue reading
Keystone XL pipeline may threaten aquifer that irrigates much of the central U.S.
Jane Kleeb is a savvy activist who, Nebraska’s Republican governor once said, “has a tendency to shoot her mouth off most days.” A Florida native who moved to Nebraska in 2007 after marrying a rancher active in Democratic politics, she did as much as anyone to bring the massive Keystone XL crude oil pipeline to a halt last year. Continue reading
Posted in Development, Keystone XL, Tar sands
Tagged anti development, greenie obstructionists, KXL, oilsands
Art Horn: Will The Rising Oceans Be Our Downfall?
The night was almost four years ago. Candidate Obama had defeated John McCain. This victory was to introduce a new and magnificent period of “hope and change” to America. The bad old Republicans and their money grubbing ways had been swept into the past. The changes to come would be breathtaking! There would be so much hope and so much change that, according to the new President his election signaled that “This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal”. Continue reading
Posted in Baseload Energy, Clean energy, Climate Change, Coal, Crony capitalism, Development, Eco-imperialism, Environmentalism, EPA, Green hell, Keystone XL, Tar sands
Tagged anti coal, anti development, climate hysteria, deepwater drilling, dioxycarbophobia, energy infrastructure, greenie obstructionists, KXL, offshore drilling, oilsands
Obama Handed the Ball to China When he Rejected Keystone XL
US dreams of energy security involve the easy access to abundant oil and gas sources both domestically, and also from its neighbours. Continue reading
Canada needs energy diversity: federal documents
“A dependence on fossil fuel resources is making the country vulnerable to a planetary “mega trend” toward low-carbon energy that “will affect the whole of Canada’s economy,” Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver was told in newly released internal briefing notes.“
What makes them think “low-carbon” is anything but a flash in the pan? Global warming hysteria looks increasingly desperate and ridiculous and more carbon resources are coming online by the day. Carbon-dense power will be with us for decades if not centuries yet. Continue reading
Posted in Coal, Development, Fracking, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged deepwater drilling, Methane Hydrates, natural gas, offshore drilling, oilsands, shale oil
President Obama’s Energy Outlook Is Far Too Sunny
The administration refuses to increase the amount of federal land open to oil and gas drilling. But it is happy to unlock public land for another energy source. It just happens to be one that doesn’t work well. Continue reading
Is Dilbit Oil? Congress and the IRS Say No
Dilbit is exempt from an oil tax that is used to clean up conventional crude and dilbit spills. The exemption is worth $35 million a year, and growing Continue reading
Posted in Development, Tar sands
“Hockey stick” climate scientist challenges Keystone XL pipeline
Looks like Mikey has been tallying up what Jim’s been raking in in “environmental prizes” and wants a piece of the action. Wonder if he’ll start getting himself arrested outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Development, Keystone XL, Tar sands
Tagged co2 emissions, dioxycarbophobia, greenie obstructionists, KXL, oilsands
Energy: All for All of the Above
While the campaign was launched as prices at the pump were creeping upward to the highest levels in years, AEA spokesman Benjamin Cole said the group’s theme of energy affordability continues to resonate with voters, even as oil prices have stabilized in the subsequent months. “The fact is, gas is twice what it was in 2009 when President Obama took office,” he said. “The fact is, the sources he’s invested in are the most expensive.” Continue reading
Posted in Development, Keystone XL, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Debate: Bill McKibben vs. Alex Epstein on Fossil Fuels
On November 5, I will be debating Bill McKibben, considered “world’s leading environmentalist” by some, on the proposition: “Fossil fuels are a risk to the planet.” I will be arguing that fossil fuels dramatically improve the planet for human beings. Continue reading
Posted in Baseload Energy, Coal, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged co2 emissions, dioxycarbophobia, natural gas, oilsands, shale oil
Peak Minerals: Shortage of Rare Earth Metals Threatens Renewable Energy
Not only are supplies of oil and natural gas under imminent threat of failing to meet demand for them, but so is a whole range of precious metals, along with indium, gallium and germanium and other vital elements such as phosphorus and helium, as is discussed throughout this Commentary. Continue reading
Posted in Coal, Electric vehicles, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged deepwater drilling, natural gas, offshore drilling, oilsands, peakers, rare earths, shale oil
Canada’s Oil, the World’s Carbon
NYT is handwringing about enhanced greenhouse effect (global warming) of course but they raise one valid point: atmospheric carbon dioxide is a pretty well-travelled, well-mixed gas. Our emissions, i.e., the liberation of carbon previously lost to the biosphere, do not merely help our crops grow but those of the poor and underdeveloped regions too. We should help feed the world and save the rain forests too, by ensuring we do not waste this magnificent resource through CCS boondoggles and subsidy farming. Life on Earth depends on it. Continue reading
Posted in Keystone XL, Oil and gas, Tar sands
Tagged co2 emissions, dioxycarbophobia, KXL, oilsands
