Official (Alberta) Oil Discussion Thread

[OptimalTates]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

IIRC the Feds also went so far as to block the sale of the rail line to an oil company a few years back.

iChurchill had partnered with First Nations groups and had entered into an agreement to purchase the port from OmniTRAX but it sounds like the federal government for some reason had preferred an offer from Fairfax Financial (who had also entered into a partnership with First Nation groups and had announced their intention to buy the port). Ultimately iChurchill withdrew their bid. iChurchill would state the government was not interested in meaning dialogue with them and insinuate that the government was only interested in dealing with Fairfax.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...681702851.html

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...rail-1.4672810

I'd certainly never rule out any form of corruption from the government, but I would keep two things in mind. First that the railroad had been closed and isolating the community for years so the government may have simply favoured Fairfax's bid as a quicker more sure way of getting the railroad repaired as quickly as possible.

And second that iChurchill directors Lenore Eaton and Robyn Lore were fined for illegally financing Jeff Callaway's kamikaze leadership bid so meaningful dialogue could mean something different to them.

Jeff Callaway, in an amazing coincidence, had his leadership bid consist of taking pot shots at Brian Jean and advocating for the Port of Churchill as a solution for the exportation of oil.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...-oil-1.4267138

[flamesfever]

Over the past 50 years I have heard rumblings, from time to time, about using Churchill as a major port to ship oil and gas. However, they never seemed to go anywhere, due mainly to logistical problems related to things like shallow water, tides, ice etc.

With the brainpower we have in our oil and gas industry, my gut tells me if shipping oil from Churchill was feasible, it would have been acted on a long time ago. However, having said that, there have been many significant changes over the last 20 years which have acted to alter the oil and gas landscape, for example:

1. Warming climate with possible lessening ice problems

2. The easiest and much more feasible access to tidewater severely limited by Liberal environmental policy

3. Curtailment of expansion in our oil and gas industry, with accompanying job loss and migration of foreign capital and expertise, due mainly to drop in world oil price, and Liberal environmental policy

4. Technology allowing US to become oil and gas independent

5. The Liberal Government passing legislation making it next to impossible to build any more major pipelines

6. The recent war in Ukraine with demand for oil and gas in Europe to offset Russian supplies.

7. Etc.

It's a nice thing to think of shipping LNG from Churchill, as a national project that we can get our teeth into and benefit from. However, judging from past history, even if it was feasible, I can't see any private party willing to put up money and fight through all the red tape, and battle with an extremely environmentally focused Liberal Government. And with their recent coalition with the NDP and being able to hang on to power until 2025, a project like this would be a long way off.

[Red Slinger]

and of course:

6. etc.

[peter12]

Honestly, good to see the feds set this direction. They have shown excellent leadership on this file.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

and of course:

7. etc.

Fixed your post

[united]

I wonder what happened with this project. Funding awared right when COVID hit.

Province Supports Indigenous Participation In Pipeline Projects
This funding will help to achieve Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan goals to increase the value of Saskatchewan’s exports by 50 per cent by 2030, expand export infrastructure and to grow Indigenous participation in Saskatchewan’s natural resource industries.

The Peacemaker Project, led by the First Peoples Pipeline, will receive a total of $500,000 to further work on a proposed project to create a new energy corridor for western Canadian oil and gas to an export terminal near Churchill, Manitoba. Funding of $250,000 was provided in March 2020, with the additional $250,000 to be provided this Fall. The project will provide the opportunity for Indigenous communities to engage in profit sharing using an ownership structure throughout the life of the project, while western Canadian oil and gas producers would have world market access through the new energy corridor and a northern tidewater port.

“This pipeline presents a significant economic opportunity for Indigenous communities to become more involved in our western Canadian energy sector and to increase market access for Saskatchewan products,” First Peoples Pipeline Director Blaine Favel said. “First Peoples Pipeline appreciates this support from the Government of Saskatchewan, which will help us continue to work to develop this project.”

[indes]

Unfortunately Oil and Gas will continue to be front and center in our quest to be "climate leaders". Sure demand won't go down, and the same amount of oil will be produced worldwide but gosh darnit it won't be our responsibly produced oil! Is there even a point to exporting energy if you're not using the proceeds to fund extremism, terrorism or totalitarianism?

https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-e...oals-1.5848207

As long as we keep Canadian oil in the ground, the world will be saved! I bet Iran and Russia will feel like idiots with all the greenhouse gases in their countries.

[Nufy]

It may have already been asked...but I'll ask again...

Why not a reduction of 42% from all GHG producers instead of specifically Oil & Gas...

I am trying to step back from this but on the surface it does seem like a direct attack on Oil and Gas producing provinces...AB being the leader.

What about manufacturing...construction...hell the film industry !!!

[Table 5]

The US wants more Canadian oil.....but they don't want a new pipeline to bring it in.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1511331590869299206

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Nufy

It may have already been asked...but I'll ask again...

Why not a reduction of 42% from all GHG producers instead of specifically Oil & Gas...

I am trying to step back from this but on the surface it does seem like a direct attack on Oil and Gas producing provinces...AB being the leader.

What about manufacturing...construction...hell the film industry !!!

You only have to look at where the votes lie in Canada for the answer to this one.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Nufy

It may have already been asked...but I'll ask again...

Why not a reduction of 42% from all GHG producers instead of specifically Oil & Gas...

I am trying to step back from this but on the surface it does seem like a direct attack on Oil and Gas producing provinces...AB being the leader.

What about manufacturing...construction...hell the film industry !!!

The government is taking about investing $2 billion for mineral extraction related to battery production.

I mean if you want to talk about wrecking the environment.....

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The US wants more Canadian oil.....but they don't want a new pipeline to bring it in.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1511331590869299206

I think politically Keystone is an issue.

I wouldn't be surprised if they play it is 'oh we've exhausted all other options we have no choice but to approve Keystone' just to try and get a political win.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Nufy

It may have already been asked...but I'll ask again...

Why not a reduction of 42% from all GHG producers instead of specifically Oil & Gas...

I am trying to step back from this but on the surface it does seem like a direct attack on Oil and Gas producing provinces...AB being the leader.

What about manufacturing...construction...hell the film industry !!!

Originally Posted by Azure

The government is taking about investing $2 billion for mineral extraction related to battery production.

I mean if you want to talk about wrecking the environment.....

Feds and Ontario are also funding GMC to the tune of $259 million (each) to support not only a line of EV vehicles (good) but also to INCREASE production of pickups at the Oshawa plant. These presumably are the same pickups that burn fossil fuels and generate GHG's by doing so. But I guess that's okay....

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...ding-1.6407621

[CaptainCrunch]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-e...source=twitter

CALGARY -- Canadian energy company Suncor says it is getting rid of its wind and solar assets.
In a news release Monday, the Calgary-based company says it still intends to be net-zero emissions by 2050, but will accelerate progress towards that target by focusing on hydrogen and renewable fuels instead.
Suncor says its strategy for hitting the 2050 goal is also focused on increasing shareholder returns.

The company says it has developed eight wind power projects since 2002 in three provinces -- Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario.
The news release says efforts to hit the 2050 net-zero goal also include replacing coke-fired boilers at its Base Plant oilsands project near Fort McMurray, Alta., with lower emission cogeneration units, as well as accelerating commercial-scale deployment of carbon capture technology.
It also notes it's partnering with ATCO on a project to build a world-scale hydrogen project in Alberta and deploying next-generation renewable fuel technologies like LanzaJet's sustainable aviation fuel technology and Enerkem's waste-to-fuels technology.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Azure

I think politically Keystone is an issue.

I wouldn't be surprised if they play it is 'oh we've exhausted all other options we have no choice but to approve Keystone' just to try and get a political win.

Not going to happen, Biden's major supporters, the ones that wrote big checks or the ones that stood up to support him, are anti-keystone XL. He won't cross them.



Its politics not environment.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Nufy

It may have already been asked...but I'll ask again...

Why not a reduction of 42% from all GHG producers instead of specifically Oil & Gas...

I am trying to step back from this but on the surface it does seem like a direct attack on Oil and Gas producing provinces...AB being the leader.

What about manufacturing...construction...hell the film industry !!!

The major GHG emissions are really Oil and Gas, which has never really been liked by the rest of Canada. Transportation and Logistics, Agriculture, and manufacturing.


You're not going to go after manufacturing in voter rich Ontario. The problem with electrifying Transport and Logistics is two fold. The technology really isn't there yet. Plus the cost of electrification is probably trillions which we don't have. And the major logistics centers are really in again Voter Rich Ontario. Agriculture, they've already gone after especially on the non rebatible carbon taxes against things like drying and heating. And the Carbon tax is adding a whole new level of passing the costs to the consumer angle. Plus like O+G agriculture pays the bills around here.



The film industry while hideously carbon intensive isn't big enough to have an effect, plus Liberal supporters like the Film Industry. Coal mining is still a massive export for BC, so they won't go after those voters errr market.



In the global scheme of things, Canada reducing their GHG output by 40%, represents a rounding error in terms of GHG emissions globally.



I've always said, if you want to have a greater impact on GHG steal market share from Russia, China, Saudi Arabia etc. Carbon tax imports from those countries, and give them credits based on buying green tech from Canadian companies.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The US wants more Canadian oil.....but they don't want a new pipeline to bring it in.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1511331590869299206

We really need to build an enormous Oil barrel catapult. You want 200,000 barrels a day, better get a net.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

CALGARY -- Canadian energy company Suncor says it is getting rid of its wind and solar assets.
In a news release Monday, the Calgary-based company says it still intends to be net-zero emissions by 2050, but will accelerate progress towards that target by focusing on hydrogen and renewable fuels instead.
Suncor says its strategy for hitting the 2050 goal is also focused on increasing shareholder returns

I play beer league with a few Suncor guys, they're saying Suncor is looking at reducing debt and have been cuttings budgets (with associated job reductions) recently. Well the job reductions are still to come, they will depend on which budgets are cut.

[Azure]

Is that a longer term strategy that has been in play for a while? Because right now you'd think they'd be all about increasing production.

[Kickazzflames]

Right now is the make hay while the sun is shining phase. Recoup lost profits, reorganize assets, all while taking advantage of low or reduced rates throughout the industry.

The appetite for new Oil and Gas projects is still at an all time low with little to no foreign investment, shaky investor confidence and a regulatory process that can turn on you even after approval.

High oil prices does not mean new projects, it just means more options for existing assets. This is a time for Alberta to invest the profits into fixing our infrastructure throughout the province. Every town should have access to natural gas, fresh water and high speed internet.

This should also include first nations as well, of course a deal would have to be in place so that infrastructure upgrades can proceed without the fear of being lost in regulatory hell.

The next big piece of infrastructure we need to focus on is our grid, we already put a high strain on the electrical grid in the winter and as the world heads towards massive increases in electricity usage we are going to need to be ready for it. This should also include a plan on how we are going to scale up our energy sector and if its not going to be nuclear we need a plan in place asap.

When we shot our energy industry in both knee caps we should have had an alternative in place but we have spent the last 6 years twiddling our thumbs hoping someone else would find a solution. Sure we produce the second most solar energy in Canada, second to Saskatchewan, but without a new generational form of energy storage we will not be able live sustainably off this.

If we are not going Nuclear, then we need to focus heavily into Hydrogen. We missed the boat big time with LNG, not to say it still can't be done, it's just where we could have been when the world needs it the most, we are caught in limbo.

Excuse my extended rant, but imagine if we did have our LNG in place and ready to supply ample amounts to the world? Instead of us focusing on our little to no impact emissions we could have been helping the MASSIVE contributors ween off their addiction to coal and actually make a difference on climate change.