CALGARY, Alta. / Troy Media/ - From a Canadian perspective, Donald Trump’s recent energy policy speech was both interesting and troubling. On one hand, Trump’s commitment to approve the Keystone XL pipeline – a key piece of continental energy infrastructure that became an unfortunate victim of political posturing – is a plus for Canada, which faces pipeline constraints that cause Canadian oil to sell for lower prices than it would command with greater access to world markets. On the other … [Read more...]
Why a pipeline should make sense to Coderre
CALGARY, Alta./ Troy Media/ – A recent poll suggests that a majority of Montreal-area residents prefer pipelines over all other means of shipping oil. Politicians like to talk a lot about leadership but, as with all things politicians say, the bombast doesn’t always ring true. The late Ralph Klein, former premier of Alberta, had an interesting view. He said leaders should find out which way the parade was going and then get out in front. It was a witty reflection of his populist tendencies … [Read more...]
Column: A new chapter in the history of oil markets has begun
Prices have no place to go but down unless the taps are tightened RIYADH, Saudi Arabia/ Troy Media/ - “It is increasingly clear that we have begun a new chapter in the history of the oil markets,” the International Energy Agency (IEA) stated in its November oil market report. The world’s oil supply, it said, is outstripping projected oil demand. The result is that prices have no place to go but down, unless the taps are tightened. But is the OPEC ready to do so? All sort of … [Read more...]
New Brunswick turns against fraccing, decides to remain “have-not” province
CALGARY, AB, Oct 3, 2014/ Troy Media/ – In the recent New Brunswick election, an unremarkable engineering activity apparently took front and centre: hydraulic fracking for natural gas, popularly known as fracking. The outgoing premier, David Alward, was clearly in favour of fracking. He campaigned on the theme that resource development, specifically shale gas development, would bring much-needed jobs to New Brunswick. Little risk from hydraulic fraccing In contrast, incoming premier … [Read more...]
Prentice’s green energy “policy” a black hole for Albertans
CALGARY, AB/ Troy Media/ – Since taking office in mid-September Jim Prentice, Alberta’s new Premier, has talked an active game on the energy file. From the perspective of those who believe that Canada’s energy exports are vital to the country’s economic health, many of his comments seem positive. He has stressed the need for Alberta to find new markets for its energy exports; he has stressed the importance of working with aboriginal groups to secure buy-in on securing those routes to the … [Read more...]
Nova Scotia’s premature action on fracking
CALGARY, AB/ Troy Media/ – Nova Scotia’s government recently announced it would table legislation to establish a moratorium on the practice of hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) for the production of natural gas in the province. The ban, which follows a lengthy report on the safety of hydraulic fracturing, is indefinite, but not permanent. (One is reminded of the saying that there is nothing more permanent than a temporary tax.). Nova Scotia’s Energy Minister Andrew Younger suggests Nova … [Read more...]
Nova Scotia opts for high taxes over fracing
CALGARY, AB/ Troy Media/ – From the fur trade to fisheries and forests, Canada was built on the toil and sweat of those who wanted to prosper. But these days, it’s harder to create opportunity. And sometimes, government is to blame. The latest example comes from Nova Scotia where the provincial government just imposed a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing used to produce both oil and natural gas. Some people will be quite happy, asserting fracking is dangerous. But as my colleague and … [Read more...]
Celebrity bullies like the ‘tar sands’ punching bag
It’s OK to use entertainers to raise awareness of issues, as long as the public does its own due diligence to learn the complete story CALGARY, AB/ Troy Media/ - Alberta must be getting a sense of what it’s like to be the victim of the school yard bullies. Once one starts picking on you, all the others figure you’re fair game. The latest big hitter to take a swipe at Alberta’s biggest industry is Leonardo DiCaprio. His tour to the northern Alberta “tar sands” comes on the heels of visits … [Read more...]
Column: Raising the Keystone bar to absurdity
CALGARY, AB/ Troy Media/ – A new study in the Journal Nature Climate Change is being touted (as they all are) a potential game-changer that proves vast quantities of additional study are needed before pondering whether or not a simple pipeline might be constructed between Alberta, and the Texas Gulf Coast. This study, in essence, asks an economically simple (if not simplistic) question: “What happens to global oil sales if Keystone is built, and if it carries enough oil to world markets to … [Read more...]
Consumers losers in the rush to regulate oil-by-rail
CALGARY, AB/ Troy Media/ – In the wake of the Lac-Mégantic oil-by-rail disaster, when a train carrying crude oil from North Dakota’s Bakken field exploded in Quebec, some people began to characterize Bakken crude oil as “uniquely flammable,” implicating that new rail car standards might be required to move the material. Indeed, the supposed uniquely-flammable characteristics of Bakken crude was ultimately cited as a central reason for the recent Department of Transportation proposal to … [Read more...]
