Just like commercial airlines don’t make headlines for the thousands of flights that reach their destination safely each day, you won’t see much media coverage of the stellar safety rate achieved in all segments of North America’s oil and natural gas industry. But it’s a reality with direct bearing on public policy. The continents liquid […]
Heavy oil conference rolls into Edmonton
Turns out it’s not just politicians who forget downturns happen in the oil industry, the industry itself can have a short term memory when it comes to coping with this sort of problem. That’s one message that came from the opening session at the World Heavy Oil Congress underway in Edmonton, Alberta. Suncor’s Executive VP. Upstream Mark […]
Be careful what you wish for
The pressure to stop major oil pipeline projects prompted the industry to look for other solutions to moving oil. The train seemed like a natural solution. Forget the fact that pipelines are more energy-efficient and emit less carbon. People protest against them so trains carrying millions of barrels of oil are crisscrossing the continent in greater […]
Comment: Remove oil train threat
Twelve or 13 oil trains destined for points north rumble through Vancouver weekly. If the fossil fuel industry is permitted to build all its proposed Washington terminals, 72-80 oil trains will pass through weekly — a six-fold increase in pollution, congestion, risk of fire, explosion, environmental destruction. One terminal is proposed for Vancouver, three in […]
Insurance may not be enough to cover potential disasters
U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) regulators are concerned most freight railroad insurance policies are barely sufficient to cover even average oil train accidents, Politico reports. In an analysis published in early August, DOT reported most large railroads are insured at about $25 million for accidents, with others insuring up to $50 million for certain hazardous cargo. […]
Canadian crude by the numbers, a CAPP report
Production There are 173 billion bbls of proven oil reserves in Canada. The oil sands hold 167 billion bbls . Canadian crude oil production is expected to increase to 6.4 million bpd to 2030. Oil sands production is expected to increase to 4.8 million bpd by 2030. The bitumen upgrading is not likely to increase […]
Time to phase out old rail cars
The Daily Journal is reporting the oil industry and the railroads are giving U.S. regulators a plan to phase out a type of older tank car connected to fiery accidents, including the one a year ago in Quebec that killed 47 people. The publisher of the story was talking on a condition of anonymity to […]
Comment: Trains to transport oil a good option
The militant takeover at Iraq’s largest refinery and ongoing instability in other oil-producing areas in Russia and Venezuela illustrate the importance of developing domestic sources of crude oil to move the U.S. toward energy independence. A proposed energy distribution terminal for Vancouver, Wash., would provide essential infrastructure to make this happen. North American crude would […]
Micro refineries could help ease concern in the Bakken
Would having a group of small refineries remove dangerous gas from oil train cargoes and make shipments from North Dakota’s Bakken shale area safer fro transport? Quantum Energy energy made the proposal. The goal is to build five “micro refineries” near railheads already handling Bakken crude. Those refineries would strip propane and other volatile gas […]
Safety is priority one when it comes to transporting the oil industry’s products
It doesn’t matter how it is being transported around the country the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) wants you to know the oil industry is doing all it can to prevent accidents. CAPP V.P. Greg Stringham says his organization has pushed for a number of changes to rail transportation since the Lac Megantic tragedy […]