Upload
The Great Tar Sands Debate!
Loading ...
So here's the scenario: Many of us, certainly the Canadians among us, have heard the criticisms leveled at the tar sands / oil sands operations in Alberta, a western Canadian province. This "Saudi" of North America is predicted to yield 170 billion barrels of readily recoverable petroleum but necessitates a special mining and extraction approach that generates a significant volume of greenhouse gases and levels vast sections of the landscape. Given the near-future demand for North American oil and the activities already under way, there is little chance that the tar sands will be shut down or even reduced in scope soon. So the debate question is this: Are there effective ways to reduce the impact of the oil sands production? If not, then what should be done?
Tar sands industry representatives are saying that a lot is being done to reduce the impact the operations have on the physical environment. In a video linked below, a Syncrude worker presents a reclaimed tar sands site which, they claim, shows the possibility of restoring mining and extraction sites back to functional ecosystems once the operations are finished. Does this mean that the environmental impact is only temporary?
Over to you! Please leave comments below. You may even insert videos in your comments! Note that to leave comments you can log in using several accounts including Google, Yahoo, Facebook and LinkedIN. Please also be aware of our Content Policy for respectful discussion.
Let the debate begin!
Replies
Here is a video of Ron Lewko, a Syncrude worker presenting a former extraction site restored to an environment which supports various forms of wildlife.
Even if they fix the place afterwards; pollution is still there during the operation... so do we really have to go that way ?
I don't really know the credibility we have to give to this video, but if it is true, it can be another useful source of energy we should take in consideration... Anyway, the actual oil model is not bearable anymore.. Using actual cars is definitively an issue, no mention the ecological cost to dig holes, to ship all over the world barrels of oil... We have to look for any options since we still don't have the ultimate free-pollution solution... We all have a car, don't we ? Meanwhile, it doesn't mean we won't have to perform extensive researches in order to help out our quest for the holy graal...
We can make all kind of comments on either it is right or wrong to extract oil form the oils sands or to drill off shore or to import our petroleum from saudi Arabia, but the fact is: the oil needs to come from somewhere. In our global economy, if we decide that it is wrong to use the oils sands to respond the interior demand, we will have to inport oil. I think that the public does not have enough information on the energy spectrum to be able to make a clear decision. We also have to keep in mind that the end user is you and me. Are we really ready to reduce our consumption? I am far away to believe so and these company will do anything to fullfill our needs and make money in the same time, that is their job. I am not saying that what they do is right but it is so easy for us to hammer the providers all the time and let the user be the little innocent that is at the mercy of the big corporations. We have to change our way of living and it will hurt, no doubt about it and we also need to have more information on the whole energy concept. In Quebec, only 2 monts ago nobody knew anything about shale gas and radio-Canada was asking people if they were for it or not. The result was: let's put a moratory on the drilling. Again, not enough information available for people to really make up their mind. I think that the responsability to inform the people belongs to the corporations and the governments and neither of them are doing a good job. We as citizens have to be part of the decisions making..........
I agree with Daniel... it is too easy to ONLY attack the large corporation... We need to ask ourselves what is OUR responsability and what is we are ready to change in order for them to SERVE OUR demand differently. Today, the population has no excuse for not mobilizing. Social media is there for us to use...
Great job energy2point0.com!
Our crude oil and coal based energy and transportation economies deserve an honest analysis and publication of all sources of energy, detailing their TRUE carbon footprint by material, site of production, production method incl. refineries, site of consumption and combined with this a clean analysis of the pollution and immissions that they cause directly and indirectly....
this could easily be the subject of serious high quality PhD Sutides at major universities --- just a hint for the MIT's of this world
Hi All and thanks for asking me to get involved in the discussion.
I would agree with the above sentiment that it is a matter of commitment and determination by the exploring companies. As I am neither in Canada nor an export on oil, I thought I should contribute an example where I believe the concept worked.
The Otto-Maigler-See in the South West of Cologne was an open cast brown coal pit which was later redeveloped into an eco system ( http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto-Maigler-See ).
This does however require a clear commitment by whoever says that they will undertake to do this. Responsibility, transparency, commitment, determination and a result driven approach are necessary though. That is not even talking about the costs and budgets reequired.
Kind regards from Hong Kong
Jochen
#gtsd
Get rid of the wet tailings ponds that are polluting the entire ecosystem and killing the town of Fort Chip. Replace the Cokers with CANDU reactors and that would make a considerable diff.
As far a a reliance. Who continues to ensure we do? As far as alternatives...What choices are preseneted to us and who controls them?
Wake up!
Kudos to Syncrude for the reclaiming..but they shouldnt have touched that boreal forest in the first place. Do you really think they would have reclamation if they werent forced?
Cool...you can see the dead ducks from the buffalo pound!
We see that there is no simple ansewrs! Shale Gas debate out in Canada... Nuclear even bigger debate in FRANCE. We should all participate in the debate amd write our point of vues on WEC 2010 http://www.energy2point0.com... a energy community where all the stakeholders seem to be. We need to have all the info in order to know what to think.
Shale gas, Oil Sand, WEC 2010, energy2point0
Ray Miller • from Linked:Energy
I think there should be a commitment to restore the region as part of the effort. Certainly as time moves forward and oil pricesrise again there will be an opportunity to regulate the industry better as there will be less bottom line impact.
In 2007 when oil prices shot well over $100 per barrel the game was to pull as much out of hte ground as possible. Now will prices moderated somewhat between $70 and $80 per barrel perhaps the reduced volitility will allow the time to make the ncessary regulatory and industry changes.
One more debate I had the chance to get more info at the wec 2010... energy2point0 is a great opportunity to pass through all these interviews...
There is really no right or wrong answer in this debate. Canadians as a whole have different opinions on this issue. Some people see it as good paying jobs. Others see it as an environmental disaster waiting to happen.
But all in all we must preserve the land and area where all the oil activity is happening for future generations. It is a question of pay me now or pay me later.
Also once the oil sands become more expense to find, we must find alternate energies to keep the world going as we know it.
At 10am MT today (Tuesday Nov 9) on VoiceAmerica Radio, Greg Stringham, Vice-President, Markets & Oil Sands, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) will discuss Sustainability in the Canadian Oilsands.
http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vepisode.aspx?aid=49878
The discussion will be available for download following the live webcast.
hi there...
our governments are NOT doing enough at local, regional, provincial, national and international levels to support alternative energy development, specifically solar and wind, neither of which will destroy our only environment.
government and multinational corporate support for development to our alternative energy sector for immediate growth is exactly what is needed; we definately do NOT need nor want more support for even more tar sands growth and development. tar sands are exactly what we need to get away from.....
i want to see legislation with substantial financial and legal consequences in place for multinational corporations and our own governments, so i can dream to see the needed change that secures any hope for our future...
this is the only way i can foresee our suicidal culture making sound decision of good action for our great great grandchildren...