BOE Report

Keystone foes celebrate barn in project’s path

YORK, Neb. — Opponents of the Keystone XL oil pipeline celebrated the completion of a barn built in the project’s expected path on Sunday while U.S. officials continue to weigh whether to approve the pipeline. Pipeline opponents planned several events to thank volunteers and mark the completion of the solar- and wind-powered barn. Billionaire investor and philanthropist Tom Steyer was scheduled to speak at Sunday’s dedication ceremony. Steyer has spent more than $2 million fighting the [Read more]

CN, feds eyeing oil by rail to Prince Rupert, B.C., in same quantity as Gateway

OTTAWA - CN Rail, at the urging of Chinese-owned Nexen Inc., is considering shipping Alberta bitumen to Prince Rupert, B.C., by rail in quantities matching the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline, documents show.Internal memos obtained by Greenpeace under the Access to Information Act show the rail carrier raised the proposal last March with Natural Resources Canada."Nexen Inc. is reportedly working with CN to examine the transportation of crude oil on CN's railway to Prince Rupert, B.C., to [Read more]

Debate over fracking heats up on Newfoundland west coast

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Alberta resident Jessica Ernst is warning Newfoundland about the risks of hydraulic fracturing, saying she blames the contentious fracking process for making her well water flammable."It does ignite like a blow torch," she said from her rural home near Rosebud, Alta. "It's too dangerous to even use to flush toilets. One spark could cause the gas to ignite and cause a serious explosion."Ernst will visit Stephenville, N.L., on Sunday to convey what she says is a cautionary tale [Read more]

Power dip forces Edmonton refineries to flare gas, smoke prompts air quality advisory

EDMONTON - Health officials in northern Alberta have issued an air quality advisory after a power failure forced refineries in the Edmonton area to flare off extra gas, creating clouds of thick black smoke.Alberta Health Services says the advisory is precautionary, and applies to people with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, or heart conditions.Good, clean #Edmonton refinery air blowing straight into Sherwood Park. #yeg #shpk #oilsands #oilandgas [Read more]

Manitoba wants brakes on plan to ship oil north

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government says a rail company's plans to start transporting oil across hundreds of kilometres of remote rail line built on permafrost is too risky to the environment and the safety of those who live in the north. NDP Transportation Minister Steve Ashton said in light of the deadly train derailment in Lac Megantic, Que., earlier this year, Manitoba can't support the shipment of crude oil through its fragile northern environment to the port in Churchill."Lac Megantic was [Read more]

‘Tremendous’ uncertainty for OPEC, consultant tells Global Business Forum

BANFF, Alta. - The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is facing a period of "tremendous" uncertainty, which could have a major impact on the global economy, according to a veteran oil industry consultant.In his 35 years watching oil markets — for Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, and now as an independent consultant — Yousuf Habib said he's never seen the "confluence of factors" that's adding to the uncertainty he sees over the horizon for the cartel of 12 major global oil [Read more]

BC premier meets with northern leaders about LNG revenue sharing deal

VANCOUVER - Municipal politicians in British Columbia's North are facing the exact opposite problem that beset them only a few years ago, as the forestry industry declined.Instead of worrying about sluggish economic growth and a fleeing tax base, they are now concerned about overcrowded hospitals, not enough schools and old, over-stretched infrastructure as a new gold rush of liquefied natural gas development promises a population explosion.Premier Christy Clark gathered several northern [Read more]

Oliver says Canada needs to take advantage of world markets for LNG

CALGARY - Federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver says Canada risks missing the boat if it doesn't get its act together soon and take advantage of long-term opportunities in liquefied natural gas exports."All of Canada's natural gas exports are currently to the United States, a country that will require less Canadian gas in the future," said Oliver, in a speech to the Canada LNG Export Forum Thursday."Therefore we must reach new markets in countries that urgently need energy to generate [Read more]

Alberta govt orders Crew Energy to stop operating an oil well near endangered Hawks

SUFFIELD, Alta. - The Alberta government has swooped down on an oil company that 'violated' regulations by operating a well too close to endangered Hawks. The province says it has ordered Calgary-based Crew Energy Inc. to stop operating an oil well near Suffield in southern Alberta. The government says the well is too close to a nest of ferruginous hawks, which are protected under the federal Species At Risk Act. The province says it has also cancelled the company’s mineral surface [Read more]

Ex-Halliburton manager charged with destroying evidence in 2010 oil spill

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A former Halliburton employee has been charged with destroying evidence following BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Anthony Badalamenti, who had been the cementing technology director for Halliburton Energy Services Inc., was charged in federal court Thursday with instructing two other employees to delete data during a post-spill review of the cement job on BP's blown-out well. The 61-year-old Badalamenti of Katy, Texas, is charged in a bill of information, [Read more]