Canadian Federal Politics Thread v5

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Yes, it makes financial sense for corporations to do that. But it makes more sense for albertans to have high paying jobs when possible.

Not really in this case, moving refined products in mixed products pipelines is a pita and it really is best to keep the molecule whole and move it to market that way.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Yes, it makes financial sense for corporations to do that. But it makes more sense for albertans to have high paying jobs when possible.

Albertans can move to Ontario and give them a taste of their of medicine.

[Firebot]

Refined products at a refinery is a lot more than just turning crude oil into gasoline.

Gasoline
Jet Fuel
Diesel
Asphalt
Lubricant

Each one requires different supply chains going to different locations with different shipping methods and transportation regulations.

There's a reason why refineries are mostly in Texas or ports in Canada (number of refineries are far away from any crude oil source).



The highest concentration of refineries in the US are all along the gulf coast or the Great Lakes. Coincidentally, many refineries are located near high population areas.



An agreement to ship oil from Alberta to refineries in Ontario makes perfect sense, as that is where the refineries are, and subsequently where many people using said products live.

All that said, the question of "Ontario has tidewater ports"? is a legitimate question, and what is omitted from the Alberta press release is Smith and Ford are planning to build a tidewater port in James Bay, and want to get pipelines and rail approved to get to it.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opin...a-surprise-to/

Sometimes the answer to the question is simpler than it is made out to be.

[woob]

Isn't the useablity of a tidewater port in James Bay limited by seasonal ice? And then there's the water depth as well.

[Fuzz]

Ice might not be an issue by the time the port is ready.

[Harry Lime]

James Bay has had an open waterway for a while now, during winter (if I remember correctly). It still has all of the dangers associated with a sudden prolonged shift in weather, or a drifting iceberg, or any number of things.

I would have to assume that there has been some thought into how they manipulate winter. Icebreaker lead boats? I don't know, but they seem confident.

Also, I think that the pipelines to refineries in Ontario are for domestic use and not export, but it could be that I read that wrong.

Shangri-la would be a pipeline to New Brunswick.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

James Bay has had an open waterway for a while now, during winter (if I remember correctly). It still has all of the dangers associated with a sudden prolonged shift in weather, or a drifting iceberg, or any number of things.

I would have to assume that there has been some thought into how they manipulate winter. Icebreaker lead boats? I don't know, but they seem confident.

Also, I think that the pipelines to refineries in Ontario are for domestic use and not export, but it could be that I read that wrong.

Shangri-la would be a pipeline to New Brunswick.

once you've built a pipe to James Bay the pipeline to the St Lawrence isn't that far though

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

once you've built a pipe to James Bay the pipeline to the St Lawrence isn't that far though

But again, no one is going to export significant quantities of oil out the seaway, for reasons already discussed. The only reason you continue the pipeline south is to feed the southern Ontario refineries, which are currently mostly supplied by Enbridge Line 3. And you only do that if you are worried about the US, which can change in the future.

[D as in David]

Would the line be a straight shot from the oilfields in Northern AB to James Bay? That is, north of Lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba?

[Fuzz]

Doubtful. Probably head off from Hardisty terminal. Probably follow th TC mainline until almost directly south of James Bay, then head north. It's super remote and hard to access a lot of the shield area, so you would want to follow highway infrastructure.