Oil & Gas News
Alberta
According to Wikipedia (21-Feb-2013), oil reserves in Canada were estimated at 179 billion barrels in 2007. This figure includes the oil sands reserves that are estimated by government regulators to be economically producible at current prices using current technology. According to this figure, Canada's reserves are third only to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. Over 95% of these reserves are in the oil sands deposits in the province of Alberta. Alberta contains nearly all of Canada's oil sands and much of its conventional oil reserves. The balance is concentrated in several other provinces and territories. Saskatchewan and offshore areas of Newfoundland in particular have substantial oil production and reserves. Alberta has 39% of Canada's remaining conventional oil reserves, offshore Newfoundland 28% and Saskatchewan 27%, but if oil sands are included, Alberta's share is over 98%.
The terms “oil sands” and “tar sands” are used interchangeably with a more negative connotation on the latter simply for the imagery it conveys. Fort McMurray is the principle oil/tar sands mining and upgrading town in Alberta.
Oil sand is a mixture of bitumen (a thick tar-like substance), sand, clay, silt and water. Bitumen is extracted using traditional mining techniques if the source is close to surface (20% of extraction), or through in-situ extraction (fracking with steam) for sources deeper than 200 feet (80% of extraction).
Upgrading converts thick bitumen to synthetic crude oil and diesel fuel. By-products are petroleum coke, sulphur and tailings.
Tailings consist of water, clay, sand, residual bitumen. Released to a pond, the heaviest material (usually sand) settles, while the water rises to the top. The suspended particles in the middle, called mature fine tailings (MFT) are a significant environmental hazard. (article)
Major problems resulting from oil sand production are quantity of fresh water use, fresh water loss, fresh water toxicity (article), watershed risk, impacts from toxic tailings ponds, greenhouse gas emissions, flaring of “unwanted” gas, and the controversial fracking methodology.
Canadians also have no idea of the overall ‘big picture’ of the impacts of oilsands production and transport because each project is assessed in isolation. (article)
Financially, Alberta’s “boom/bust” fiscal policy pales in comparison to Norway’s oil savings. (article)
Additionally, the oil and gas industry is heavily-subsidized.
Plus, oil and gas companies are becoming notorious for convenient bankruptcy to avoid meeting their commitments and putting the burden on taxpayers. (article)
Canada’s oil sands are also problematic for First Nations (environment, social (man camps), culture, livelihood, water quality)
Size
According to www.oilsands.alberta.ca, a website administered by the Alberta Government, the entire oil sands resource is about the size of Florida – about 140,000 square kilometres. According to www.ethicaloil.org only about 2% of that 140,000 square kilometres (2,800 sq kms) will ever be mined in a way that physically interferes with the natural landscape. Of Canada’s 1.4 billion acres of Boreal forest, just one percent of one percent, or 160,000 acres, will be temporarily used for surface mining.
The bulk of the oilsands resource isn’t so shallow that it can just be dug up from the surface. Since it’s buried deep under the earth in huge deposits, much like conventional oil but fused with the soil, oilsands operators have developed technologies that allow them to draw the oil out from where it sits—which is why it’s called in situ, meaning, in it’s original place. The most common method to do this is called Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage, or SAG-D: it essentially drills a hole in the ground and runs pipes down, and then horizontally, through the large oilsands deposits. The pipes steam the oil till it’s soft enough that it separates from the soil, and gets sucked back up through the pipes.
Companies
List of companies operating in Alberta’s oil sands according to the Rainforest Action Network (as shown on their website 19-Jan-2017):
Athabasca Oil Sands Corp
Baytex
Energy Trust
Bonavista
Energy Trust
BP
plc
Bronco Energy Ltd
Canadian
Natural Resources Ltd
Canadian
Oil Sands Trust
CanWest
Petroleum Corp
Cenovus Energy Inc
Chevron
Corp
China National
Petroleum Corp
Connacher
Oil & Gas Ltd
ConocoPhillips
Devon
Energy Corp
Enbridge Inc
EnCana Corp
Enerplus
Resources Fund
Exxon Mobil Corp
Harvest
Energy Trust
Husky Energy Inc
Imperial
Oil Ltd
Inter Pipeline
Fund
Kinder Morgan
Energy Partners LP
Koch Resources LLC
Korea National Oil Corp
Marathon
Oil Corp
MEG Energy Corp
Mocal Energy
Ltd
Murphy Oil
Corp
Nexen
Inc
Nippon
Oil Corp
Occidental
Petroleum Corp
Oilsands Quest
Inc
OPTI Canada
Inc
Paramount Resources Ltd
Pembina
Pipeline Income Fund
Pengrowth Energy
Trust
Penn West Energy Trust
Petrobank Energy & Resources Ltd
Petro-Canada
Royal
Dutch Shell plc
Sinopec
Group
StatoilHydro
ASA
Suncor Energy Inc
Syncrude Canada
Ltd
Total
SA
TransCanada Corp
UTS Energy Corp
Oil
Sands/Tar Sands Links
Oil Sands Aerial Footage/photos (DeSmog Canada 2014)
Oil Sands 105: What is Diluent and Why is it Important?
Alberta Energy Regulator – Youtube Channel
Canada's Oil & Natural Gas Producers - Canada's Oil Sands
Industry viewpoint (Suncor Energy): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI_O_i4xeek (10:49mins)
Non-industry viewpoint: (Reality Check: Canada’s Oil Sands): https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dwwVo3CEFAQ (2:27mins)
Non-industry viewpoint: (Tar Sands Oil Extraction – The Dirty Truth): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkwoRivP17A (11:39mins)
Business Insider: The Canadian Oil Sand Mines Refused Us Access, So We Rented This Plane To See What They Were Up To (2012)
Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) report - Going in Reverse: The Tar Sands Threat To Central Canada and New England (June 2012)(24 pg .pdf)
Oil sands production in northern Alberta is planned to triple in size over the next 25 years (2013 article).
Opposition viewpoint: Tar Sands Reality Check (www.tarsandsrealitycheck.com)
Hydrofracking risks outweigh rewards – Opinion: Donald C. Helm, Scientist
Link to North American Refinery Production Interactive Tool
Building the world’s largest truck (Cat. 797B) (43mins)
www.brokenground.ca (David Suzuki Foundation)
Link to list of oil sands companies and properties
News – Alberta
|
Date yyyy-mm-dd |
Posted By |
Article Link |
Comment |
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2020-09-03 |
CBC News |
Environmental watchdog report says Alberta oilsands tailings ponds are tainting groundwater |
David Thurton |
|
2020-08-04 |
CTV News |
Alberta, Ottawa sign deal that reduces oilsands environmental monitoring |
Bob Weber “… cuts were made to protect workers from COVID-19.” |
|
2020-05-22 |
CBC News |
Alberta rescinds decades-old policy that banned open-pit coal mines in Rockies and Foothills |
Robson Fletcher, Jordan Omstead |
|
2020-02-18 |
CBC News |
Court orders Alberta government to stop delaying decision on proposed oilsands project |
Kyle Bakx |
|
2020-01-30 |
CBC News |
Kyle Bakx |
|
|
2019-12-11 |
CBC News |
First Nation says Alberta premier is 'killing' proposed oilsands mine by failing to address concerns |
David Thurton - Teck Frontier Mine proposal |
|
2019-10-18 |
CBC News |
Kyle Bakx |
|
|
2019-09-29 |
CBC News |
Why engineers in Alberta think they've found a way for the oilsands to produce clean fuel |
Tony Seskus |
|
2019-09-18 |
CBC News |
Scientists sound alarm over Alberta's new approach to tracking oilsands pollution |
Terry Reith |
|
2019-07-31 |
The Tyee |
Alberta Can Transition from Oil and Gas and Have a Strong Economy. Here’s How |
Geoff Dembicki - 450,000 oil & gas wells in Alberta, 155,000 unproductive |
|
2019-07-08 |
Canadian Dimension |
John McMurtry |
|
|
2019-05-20 |
Energy Mix / Globe and Mail |
New Federal-Provincial Rules Will Allow “Inevitable” Release of Toxic Tar Sands/Oil Sands Tailings |
Jeff Lewis |
|
2019-04-17 |
UnpublishedOttawa.com |
National Observer |
|
|
2019-02-19 |
Financial Post |
Alberta to spend $3.7B to get oil to prized Gulf coast market by rail |
Geoffrey Morgan |
|
2019-02-12 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
Oil and gas companies owe Albertans $20 million in unpaid land rents |
Sharon J. Riley |
|
2019-01-31 |
CBC News |
Supreme Court rules energy companies must clean up old wells — even in bankruptcy |
Tracy Johnson - Redwater bankruptcy |
|
2019-01-31 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
Central Alberta citizens band together to fight huge new water licence for fracking |
Sharon J. Riley |
|
2019-01-18 |
National Post |
Geoffrey Morgan
|
|
|
2019-01-04 |
National Observer |
Pipeline shortfall not the only thing punishing Canadian oilpatch |
Carl Meyer |
|
2019-01-02 |
CBC News |
- Mildred Lake site |
|
|
2018-12-18 |
National Observer |
Carl Meyer |
|
|
2018-11-23 |
National Observer |
Alberta officials are signalling they have no idea how to clean up toxic oilsands tailings ponds |
Emma McIntosh, David Bruser |
|
2018-11-21 |
Huffington Post |
Automation Vs. Humanity And The Future Of Alberta's Oilsands |
Tim Querengesser |
|
2018-11-13 |
National Observer |
The silence on Alberta's $260 billion environmental liability is deafening |
Amin Asadollahi |
|
2018-11-08 |
CBC.ca |
Alberta oilsands producers 'incredibly profitable' during recent economic downturn |
- The Parkland Institute, U of Alberta |
|
2018-11-02 |
Vancouver Sun |
Chinese buyers ramp up purchases of cheap Alberta bitumen-laden crude |
Derrick Penner |
|
2018-11-02 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
The story of Alberta’s $100-billion well liability problem. How did we get here? |
Sharon J. Riley |
|
2018-11-01 |
Global News |
Clip: New estimates warn the cost to clean up Alberta’s oil and gas industry could hit $260B |
|
|
2018-08-14 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
James Wilt |
|
|
2018-06-30 |
Thenarwhal.ca |
‘Nowhere else to turn’: First Nations inundated by oilsands projects face impossible choices |
Judith Lavoie
|
|
2018-05-23 |
AlbertaPolitics.ca |
Guest Post: Canadians should be on red alert over Redwater Energy case |
Regan Boychuk - Redwater bankruptcy |
|
2018-04-26 |
Pembina Institute |
Blog: A liability iceberg in Alberta exposed by the Redwater legal case |
Jodi McNeill - Redwater bankruptcy |
|
2018-03-26 |
Calgary Herald |
As oil glut grows, Canada's crude-by-rail terminals sit idle |
Robert Tuttle, Bloomberg News |
|
2018-04-19 |
Desmog Canada |
James Wilt |
|
|
2018-03-07 |
National Observer |
Paul McKay |
|
|
2018-04-03 |
Globe and Mail |
Federal climate plan to yield to Alberta on oil sands, pipelines |
Shawn McCarthy |
|
2018-03-08 |
Calgary Herald |
Oil firm shutting down, walking away from thousands of untended Alberta wells |
Dan Healing |
|
2018-02-15 |
CBC News |
Tony Seskus |
|
|
2018-02-01 |
Global News |
Union outcry as automation eats up 400 oilsands jobs – and it’s just the beginning |
Jessica Vomiero |
|
2018-01-31 |
National Observer |
Suncor Energy says driverless trucks will eliminate a net 400 jobs in the oilsands |
Dan Healing |
|
2018-01-16 |
Bloomberg.com |
340 Billion Gallons of Sludge Spur Environmental Fears in Canada |
Kevin Orland |
|
2017-12-31 |
National Observer |
|
|
|
2017-11-14 |
TheGuardian.com |
Opinion: Canada’s most shameful environmental secret must not remain hidden |
Tzeporah Berman |
|
2017-11-01 |
Globe and Mail |
Gary Mason - no sales tax, low corporate tax, “Alberta Advantage” |
|
|
2017-09-26 |
TheNarwhal.ca |
Norway’s Oil Savings Just Hit $1 Trillion. Alberta Has $17 Billion. What Gives? |
James Wilt |
|
2017-09-08 |
National Observer |
Regan Boychuk |
|
|
2017-08-18 |
National Observer |
NAFTA's environmental arm demands Canada explain oilsands tailings leaks |
The Canadian Press |
|
2017-06-29 |
CochraneEagle.com |
Lindsay Seewalt |
|
|
2017-07-17 |
CBC News |
Alberta town hopes to pull new kind of energy from old gas well |
Bob Weber |
|
2017-04-19 |
BNNBloomberg.ca |
Oil sands production using nearly one-third of Canada's natural gas |
The Canadian Press |
|
2017-02-15 |
CBC |
Alberta shuts down Lexin Resources, leaving big mess to clean up |
|
|
2016-10-30 |
CBC |
- 25 rail cars left track - frack sand
|
|
|
2016-10-19 |
National Observer |
Oilsands research group says it is a 'logical' recipient of carbon tax grants |
Dan Healing - Keith Stewart, Greenpeace |
|
2016-10-06 |
Desmog.ca |
Cause and Volume of Pipeline Spill in Alberta Wetland Still Unknown Six Days In |
Carol Linnitt |
|
2016-08-10 |
National Observer |
Teachers investigate whether University of Calgary is in bed with Big Oil |
Christopher Adams |
|
2016-06-14 |
CBC News |
Pipeline leak fouls creek near grizzly bear protection area in northwestern Alberta |
- Grande Cache - 380,000 litres of light petroleum |
|
2016-05-25 |
Globe and Mail |
Oil sands found to be a leading source of air pollution in North America |
Ivan Semeniuk |
|
2016-05-20 |
Financial Post |
Alberta court rules insolvent oil company’s assets won’t be used to clean up idle wells |
Geoffrey Morgan |
|
2016-05-06 |
WarriorPublications. wordpress.com |
Fort McMurray fires shut down even more oilsands facilities, knock one million barrels offline |
Zig Zag - Claudia Cattaneo and Geoffrey Morgan, Financial Post, May 5, 2016 |
|
2016-05-03 |
Global News |
Emily Mertz, Phil Heidenreich and Caley Ramsay |
|
|
2016-04-04 |
National Post |
Oil companies create lakes ‘from scratch’ to try to replace destroyed fish habitat in north Alberta |
Janet French |
|
2016-03-29 |
Globe and Mail |
Study confirms link between fracking, earthquakes in Western Canada |
Mark Hume |
|
2016-02-17 |
HIS Markit (Blog) |
Production cost and the Canadian oil sands in a lower price environment |
Kevin Birn |
|
2016-02-12 |
Calgary Herald |
Landowners fight for enforcement of rules at inactive Alberta well sites |
Colette Derworiz |
|
2016-01-29 |
Ottawa Citizen |
Jason Fekete |
|
|
2016-01-13 |
Thetyee.ca |
In Supreme Court, a Battle Over Fracking and Citizens' Rights |
Andrew Nikiforuk - Jessica Ernst |
|
2016-01-12 |
CBC News Edmonton |
Fox Creek fracking operation closed indefinitely after earthquake |
- 4.3 magnitude earthquake 12‑Jan-2016 at 11:27am - Repsol Oil & Gas |
|
2016-01-08 |
Thetyee.ca |
Andrew Nikiforuk - Jessica Ernst |
|
|
2016-01-04 |
CBC News |
As Suncor offer nears deadline, Canadian Oil Sands repeats call to remain independent |
|
|
2015-12-30 |
Edmonton Journal |
Geoffrey Morgan |
|
|
2015-12-29 |
CBC News |
Wallis Snowdon |
|
|
2015-10-28 |
TheGuardian.com |
Shell halts Carmon Creek oil sands project in Alberta, Canada |
|
|
2015-10-16 |
Globe and Mail |
Companies charged over 2013 coal tailings pond spill: Alberta Energy Regulator |
Bob Weber and John Cotter - Coal companies |
|
2015-09-09 |
CBC News |
Trisha Estabrooks |
|
|
2015-08-29 |
Globe and Mail |
Alberta regulator shuts 95 Nexen pipelines over ‘noncompliance’ |
Mike De Souza |
|
2015-08-18 |
DesmogCanada |
New Water Use Restrictions Highlight Influence of Climate on Oilsands, Need for Stronger Rules |
Carol Linnitt |
|
2015-08-11 |
Theguardian.com (UK) |
Revealed: Canadian government spent millions on secret tar sands advocacy |
Martin Lukacs |
|
2015-07-20 |
Global News |
Cleanup continues at Nexen oil spill site in northern Alberta |
Caley Ramsay |
|
2015-07-18 |
Toronto Star |
Tzeporah Berman |
|
|
2015-07-18 |
Globe and Mail |
Dean Bennett |
|
|
2015-07-17 |
CBC News |
|
|
|
2015-07-17 |
Globe and Mail |
- Fox Creek, Alberta |
|
|
2015-07-04 |
Alberta Oil Magazine |
Markham Hislop |
|
|
2015-06-10 |
Huffington Post |
100 Canadian, U.S. Scientists Call For Halt To Oilsands Projects |
Bob Weber, The Canadian Press |
|
2015-05-05 |
Bloomberg |
Rebecca Penty and Robert Tuttle |
|
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2015-04-22 |
Bloomberg |
Rebecca Penty |
|
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2015-03-25 |
Global News NB |
|
|
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2015-03-18 |
Financial Post |
Talisman Energy Inc, Nexen Energy ULC fire hundreds of employees in ‘bloody Tuesday’ |
Caludia Cattaneo, Geoffrey Morgan - Calgary |
|
2015-02-23 |
Globe and Mail |
Jeff Lewis |
|
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2015-01-30 |
CBC News |
|
|
|
2014-12-10 |
University of Calgary / School of Public Policy |
Jennifer Winter |
|
|
2014-12-05 |
TheTyee.ca |
Ann Craft's Fracking Nightmare: A Top Lawyer's Startling Counsel |
Andrew Nikiforuk |
|
2014-12-02 |
Globe and Mail |
Richard Blackwell |
|
|
2014-11-17 |
EcoWatch / FracTracker Alliance |
Ted Auch |
|
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2014-11-04 |
660 News |
stephanie.froese |
|
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2014-10-28 |
Globe and Mail |
Jeff Lewis |
|
|
2014-09-19 |
Globe and Mail |
No charges laid against Suncor over Athabasca River spill, document says |
Josh Wingrove |
|
2014-09-15 |
Metro News |
- Jessica Ernst lawsuit |
|
|
|
CBC Digital Archives |
|
|
|
2014-09-05 |
Calgary Herald |
Mario Toneguzzi |
|
|
2014-09-01 |
CBC Go Public |
Kathy Tomlinson |
|
|
2014-07-08 |
EcoWatch / Natural Resources Defense Council |
Higher Cancer Rates and Tainted Local Foods Linked to Tar Sands Operations |
Danielle Droitsch |
|
2014-07-03 |
ClimateState.com |
DeSmog Canada |
|
|
2014-06-26 |
Desmog.ca |
Stephen Leahy |
|
|
2014-06-02 |
DW |
David Kattenburg, - Diana Daunheimer sues Bellatrix Corp. |
|
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2014-05-29 |
Globe and Mail |
Carrie Tait |
|
|
2014-05-09 |
Metronews |
Video: Alberta ranchers voice health concerns about fracking (1 min) |
Cam Tucker - Howard & Nielle Hawkwood |
|
2014-04-15? |
Environmental Defense |
|
|
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2014-04-08 |
CBC News |
- Keith Stewart |
|
|
2014-04-08 |
EcoWatch / Anthony Hall |
Oil Consultant Turned Whistleblower Exposes Fracking Crimes in Alberta |
Anthony Hall - Jessica Ernst |
|
2014-03-31 |
Global News |
Leslie Young |
|
|
2014-03-05 |
TheTyee.ca |
Alberta Regulator Quietly Halts Steam Bitumen Mining Near Fort Mac |
Andrew Nikiforuk - in situ steaming operations |
|
2014-02-27 |
Vancouver Observer |
Alberta doctor tells U.S.: Canada is ‘lying’ about tar sands’ health effects |
- Dr. John O’Connor |
|
2014-02-21 |
National Post |
Rex Murphy |
|
|
2014-02-20 |
CBC News |
Oilsands study confirms tailings found in groundwater, river |
|
|
2014-02-18 |
ThinkProgress.org |
Emily Atkin |
|
|
2014-02-04 |
Huffington Post / CBC |
Pipeline Rupture Report Raises Questions About TransCanada Inspections |
2009-07-20 Peace River mainline explosion |
|
2014-01-19 |
Edmonton Journal |
Some doctors refused to treat emission-area residents: report |
Sheila Pratt |
|
2014-01-16 |
Greenpeace |
Blog: 10 reasons why Neil Young is right about the Tarsands: |
Mike Hudema |
|
2014-01-11 |
Huffington Post |
Norway's Oil Fund Heads For $1 Trillion; So Where Is Alberta's Pot Of Gold? |
Daniel Tencer |
|
2013-12-29 |
Aljazeera America |
Researchers find 7,300-mile ring of mercury around tar sands in Canada |
Peter Moskowitz |
|
2013-12-18 |
CBC News |
Alberta |
|
|
2013-12-09 |
CBC |
Jackpine Mine will destroy wetlands and wildlife, First Nations say |
Angela Sterritt |
|
2013-10-29 |
Youtube / albertavoices |
- both worked in oil & gas industry - whole new breed of oil & gas wells - air quality & health related issues - “This can be done differently. This can be done safely.” |
|
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2013-10-23 |
Huffington Post |
Edmonton Air Carcinogens: Study Finds Alarming Levels Of Chemicals Downwind Of Petrochemical Plants |
Bob Weber, The Canadian Press |
|
2013-10-15 |
Youtube / albertavoices |
- Daughter diagnosed with leukemia, suspects a connection with oil & gas activities |
|
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2013-10-10 |
Youtube / albertavoices |
- Dr. Gary Tresidder - flare shields - health impacts - “I’m not a protester. I’m just an average guy trying to live a normal life.” |
|
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2013-09-28 |
CBC News |
Cold Lake, Alberta |
|
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2013-09-24 |
Youtube / albertavoices |
- Howard & Nielle Hawkwood - health impacts (hairloss) - personal economic impacts / food chain - earthquakes - 400 similar complaints in southern Alberta overwhelming gov’t resources |
|
|
2013-08-26 |
Youtube / albertavoices |
- Vern & Carol Hemeyer - visual impact |
|
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2013-07-30 |
Youtube / albertavoices |
- Shawn & Ronalie Campbell - land-owners have no rights - high tech “glove” testing - thermogenic gas in water well |
|
|
2013-07-19 |
Toronto Star |
Emma Pullman and Martin Lukacs - Cold Lake |
|
|
2013-04-26 |
Greenpeace.org |
Alberta government lays charges against pipeline company following Greenpeace report |
- Plains Midstream |
|
2012-12-12 |
Youtube / UAlberta Fracking |
Responsibility for the Land Conference: Conversations on Fracking in Alberta (21 mins) |
Alison Bortolon and Carmelle Mohr, University of Alberta |
|
2012-11-01 |
Youtube / gazzornenplat |
Rex Murphy energy speech in Alberta, November 2013 (18 mins) |
Rex Murphy gives kudos to Alberta’s oil industry |
|
2012-06-05 |
Youtube / Newculture |
Jessica Ernst |
|
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2012-05-21 |
Youtube / Douglas Clark |
Jessica Ernst |
|
|
2012-05-18 |
Business Insider |
The Canadian Oil Sand Mines Refused Us Access, So We Rented This Plane To See What They Were Up To |
Robert Johnson |
|
2012-05-10 |
Financial Post |
Majority of oil sands ownership and profits are foreign, says analysis |
Mike De Souza |
|
2012-05-04 |
Financial Post |
Trish Audette |
|
|
2011-09-28 |
CBC News |
The Canadian Press |
|
|
2011-05-01 |
Youtube / ADW993 |
News story, Jessica Ernst |
|
|
2011-01-28 |
Comment: |
ERCB Unconventional Gas Regulatory Framework (ERCB Report 2011-A): - deep and shallow shales will be fracked - hydraulic fracturing can contaminate “useable water aquifers” with toxic chemicals and “is a recognized risk” |
(.pdf) |
|
2009-08-31 |
Reuters |
||
|
2005-01-11 |
Comment: |
Rosebud, Alberta – water tower explodes due to accumulation of gases |
More Information:
Brief Review of Threats to Canada’s Groundwater from the Oil and Gas Industry’s Methane Migration and Hydraulic Fracturing by Ernst Environmental Services (June 2013)
Link to AWARE-Ontario Oil & Gas News
Return to AWARE-Ontario.ca Home Page
List of Ontario’s Issues
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision. However, while the information is believed to be reliable, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
https://awareontario.nfshost.com/AWARE-Ontario/Issues/Oilgas_Provinces/Oilgas_Province_Alberta.htm
APPENDIX B
Comment:
The mega-quarry was proposed at 2,400 acres or 937 hectares. It was shocking to read that Shell's Jackpine oil sand mine has the federal gov't green light to expand from 7,500 hectares to 13,000 hectares (32,124 acres) or 130 km2. Shell Canada is only one of 60 or so companies doing business in Alberta’s oil sands.
Metronews Comment by aiyana jane (april 2014)
In Alberta the licencing for Hydraulic Fracturing has increased by 647% between 2012 & 2013 ( http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... ) Not so coincidentally, this increase in approvals comes after the Energy Resource Conservation Board is disbanded by the Responsible Energy Development Act - which establishes the Alberta Energy Regulator in its place.
The AER is a private corporation, entirely funded by industry, in charge of the regulation and environmental investigations in ALL aspects of oil and gas development in Alberta. ( www.aer.ca ) BC politicians are considering a similar regulatory model. Interestingly enough, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the AER, Gerry Protti, is the former Vice President of Encana Corporation - which is the company focused on in Burning Water, and accused in the Court of QB in Ernst's multi-million dollar lawsuit of contaminating her well water.