Pembina Institute's Oil Sands News

Rethinking how to respond to oilsands criticism (op-ed)

Simon Dyer — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Ongoing criticism of oilsands development in Alberta is wreaking reputational havoc on our province, culminating in an unfortunate hit to tourism operators with the recent Rethink Alberta campaign. We think a different response could level the criticisms.

We're not alone. U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson challenged industry to "do more to demonstrate how they're meeting the challenges of providing energy security while meeting their obligations of environmental stewardship."

That's not what's happening though. Instead, we're witnessing a self-defeating cycle of ramped up public relations from the Government of Alberta that never truly addresses the substance of the criticisms directed at the province's regulation of the oilsands industry.

Lack of tailings dam transparency highlights increased risk to downstream communities (media release)

Jennifer Grant — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Two weeks after a parliamentary committee quietly cancelled its report on water and oilsands pollution, a new report reveals that oilsands development continues to create risks for communities downstream.

North Lifeblood (fact sheet) (publication)

Jennifer Grant, Simon Dyer, Nathan Lemphers, Jennifer Dagg — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

This fact sheet, Northern Lifeblood — Empowering Northern Leaders to Protect the Mackenzie River Basin from the Risks of Oil Sands Development, provides an overview of threats to the Mackenzie River Basin and actions that leaders in the North can take to protect their waters.

Northern Lifeblood (publication)

Jennifer Grant, Simon Dyer, Nathan Lemphers, Jennifer Dagg — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

This report, Northern Lifeblood — Empowering Northern Leaders to Protect the Mackenzie River Basin from the Risks of Oil Sands Development, investigates current and future threats to the Mackenzie River Basin, including the risks associated with the 170 square kilometres of toxic tailings lakes in the Athabasca watershed. The report also details opportunities for both northern leaders and the federal government to proactively protect northern waters.

Are the oil sands prepared for a worst-case scenario? Research assignment turns into wild goose chase (blog)

Nathan Lemphers — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:00:02 +0000

I recently went looking to see what kinds of plans were in place in case of an emergency involving 840 million cubic metres (equivalent to 330,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools) of toxic liquid tailings waste deposited by oil sands mines north of Fort McMurray . The problem is, instead of finding what I was looking for, I was sent on a wild goose chase, leading me to wonder: Does anyone know what happens if something goes wrong?

Blowout shines spotlight on in situ’s impacts (blog)

Terra Simieritsch — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:11:24 +0000

For 36 hours this past weekend, a stream of high-temperature water and oil shot 12 metres into the air after a wellhead blew out at an in situ oil sands site just eight kilometres from the town of Conklin in northeastern Alberta. This incident points to the fact that in situ, contrary to industry claims, is not a benign or risk-free extraction method.

U.S. uncertain about oil sands: How should Canada respond? (blog)

Danielle Droitsch — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:57:59 +0000

A vigorous debate is occurring in the U.S. over the use of oil from oil sands and particularly about a proposed pipeline, the Keystone, that would transport that oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf coast. As the debate unfolds, an appropriate question to be asking is: How should Canada respond?

Review of Enbridge oilsands pipeline doesn't stack up (media release)

Karen Campbell — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The proposed environmental assessment of the Enbridge Gateway oilsands pipeline falls short, according to an analysis released today by the Pembina Institute.

How Do Two Pipelines Stack Up? (publication)

Karen Campbell — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

A chart comparing the review processes for the Mackenzie Gas Project and the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline

We can't count on environmental assessment process for a fair decision on Enbridge Gateway oil sands pipeline (blog)

Karen Campbell — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:07:07 +0000

As the Enbridge Gateway oil sands pipeline proposal lurches toward the environmental assessment process, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell is on record saying: "Enbridge has a proposal which is going through a process . . . It will include the most rigorous environmental regime there is anywhere in North America."

While it sounds nice, the reality is that the increasingly controversial pipeline will be reviewed by a Joint Review Panel established by the National Energy Board and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. And if the Mackenzie Gas Project is any indication, there are some very real problems with how the federal government is making decisions about major energy projects.

BP oil spill: Not an argument to ramp up oilsands production (op-ed)

Simon Dyer — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

It's been more than two months now that oil from BP's blown out Deepwater Horizon rig has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. A man-made disaster of epic proportions, some people are now claiming that it makes Alberta's landlocked oilsands look safe in comparison. In fact, that statement couldn't be further from the truth.

Syncrude found guilty, but has justice been served? (blog)

Simon Dyer — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:58:47 +0000

More than two years after 1,600 ducks died in Syncrude's Aurora tailings lake, the oil sands operator has been found guilty in a high-profile court case that almost never happened. Since then, the amount of tailings (the toxic liquid waste produced by the oil sands extraction process) has steadily increased in volume by 200 million litres, or 80 Olympic-sized swimming pools, every day to now cover an area of 170 km². It raises the question: Did the ducks die in vain?

Federal government out of step with leading thinkers on sustainability, climate and energy issues: survey (media release)

Marlo Raynolds — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The federal government is out of step with leading thinkers on issues related to sustainability, energy and climate change, according to the results of a groundbreaking survey of more than 5,000 experts and government officials.

The 2010 Global Thought Leader Survey on Sustainability (publication)

McAllister Opinion Research — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The views of more than 5,000 sustainability thought leaders in Canada, the U.S. and Europe are outlined in The 2010 Global Thought Leader Survey on Sustainability.

If the oil sands aren’t high carbon, why do oil sands proponents spend so much time fighting low carbon fuel standards? (blog)

Marc Huot — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:01:36 +0000

At the same time as they are fighting low carbon fuel standards, oil sands proponents are also heavily engaged in a campaign to convince the public that their greenhouse gas emissions are essentially no different from other crude oils. They can’t have it both ways.

Pembina reacts to proposed future federal coal regulations (media release)

Marlo Raynolds, Matthew Bramley — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director of the Pembina Institute, says proposed future federal coal regulations are a "comitment in principle" that must be backed by a massive scale-up of government support for renewable energy, and a clear plan to reach Canada's 2020 climate target.

Dispatch from the Great Bear Rainforest: On the scene of a battle shaping up to be bigger than Clayoquot Sound (blog)

Emma Gilchrist — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 05:15:18 +0000

Kitamaat Village, B.C. — Sometimes it takes tar balls washing up on beaches, as the people of the Gulf coast are experiencing due to the BP oil spill, before we really get the environmental risk we've allowed to threaten our land, air and water.

But that's not the case here on B.C.'s North Coast, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest and home to a growing opposition to the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway oil sands pipeline.

In situ production not an environmental gamechanger (blog)

Simon Dyer — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:05:47 +0000

While oil sands mining is set to expand for decades, in situ techniques are expected to surpass mining by 2017, changing the face of oil sands production. Industry has argued in situ is a less impactful form of production, but we've done our homework and the results don't support industry claims.

Mining vs. In Situ (publication)

Simon Dyer, Marc Huot — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Mining vs. In Situ provides an initial, much-needed comparison of the environmental impacts of oil sands mining and in situ extraction.

Climate Action Network Canada Calls on Finance Minister to Take his Department’s Advice and Phase out Fossil Fuel Subsidies (media release)

Clare Demerse, Climate Action Network-Canada — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

A leaked memo to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty advised the minister to live up to a G20 commitment to phase out tax breaks to the companies that produce coal, oil and gas. With just four weeks left before the G20 summit in Toronto, it's time for Minister Flaherty and Prime Minister Harper to commit to a Canadian plan to end tax breaks to fossil fuel producers.