US Wants 500% Increase In Canadian Oil Sands Production - CBC

[hatrack]

I'm sure we do . . .

The U.S. wants Canada to dramatically expand its oil exports from the Alberta oilsands, a move that could have major implications on the environment.

U.S.and Canadian oil executives and government officials met for a two-day oil summit in Houston in January 2006 and made plans for a "fivefold expansion" in oilsands production in a relatively "short time span," according to minutes of the meeting obtained by the CBC's French-language network, Radio-Canada.

The meeting was organized by Natural Resources Canada and the U.S. Department of Energy. Canada is already the top exporter of oil to the American market, exporting the equivalent of one million barrels a day — the exact amount that the oilsands industry in Alberta currently produces.

A fivefold increase would mean the export of five million barrels a day, which would supply a quarter of current American consumption and add up to almost half of all U.S. imports.

EDIT

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2007/01/17/oil-sands.html

[silverweb]

1. Canada...

Please say NO to these crazy-evil monsters!

[GliderGuider]

3. We're trying our hardest

My MP (John Baird) was just named the new federal Environment Minister, so I'll be working non-stop to defeat him when the time comes. One of Governor Mini-Me's (sorry, Prime Minister Harper's) political mentors from Alberta is responsible for laundering oil money through a University of Alberta program to fund a bogus climate-change denial organization. These Conservatives we have in power right now are the devil's spawn.

[silverweb]

5. Thank you.

Your Conservatives and our reTHUGs are all spawned by the same devil, I think.

Don't let them take Canada as far down the road to hell as we've been dragged!

[phantom power]

2. Well, that settles it then. "How high, sir!"

:eyes:

[GliderGuider]

4. In their dreams

We're busting a gut to make 1 Mbpd, and it's killing northern Alberta. They may do 2, but 5? Not a prayer.

[ramapo]

7. How has output grown?

I was surprised to learn that Canada is our top supplier. Is this a relatively new development?
What's the percentage coming from tar sands?

I was fortunate to visit Alberta about 30 years ago. What a beautiful place. I made it as far north as Banff. I fear the environment has really suffered in the years since my visit.

[GliderGuider]

9. We export 1.8 Mbpd to the USA

1 Mbpd, over half, is from the tar sands. Mexico is in second place at 1.6 Mbpd, but this is starting to fall as Cantarell crashes. KSA is in third at 1.4. Canada's exports have been ramping up gradually for a number of years, but I think (we only took first place in the last three years or so.

[depakid]

6. But they also want cheap natural gas

and there'll come a time- and not so long from now, when they can't have both.

[GliderGuider]

8. Canada's natural gas situation is looking very dire

Even without the tar sands sucking it all up "to make lead out of gold". The initial productivity of Canadian gas wells is declining by 38% per year. It's the very definition of the Red Queen's Race. Here's a frightening illustration from David Hughes' presentation (PDF warning) at ASPO Boston:

[hatrack]

10. Hmm . . . really expensive synthetic gasoline . . . or heating my house . . .

Decisions, decisions.