The Oil Sands of Alberta Where Black Gold And Riches Can Be Found In The Sand

[ieffinhatecardio]

Very interesting story from 60 Minutes. I wonder how many people knew that so much oil was available in Canada. Here's a quote from the story.

There are 175 billion barrels of proven oil reserves here. That’s second to Saudi Arabia’s 260 billion but it’s only what companies can get with today’s technology. The estimate of how many more barrels of oil are buried deeper underground is staggering.

"We know there’s much, much more there. The total estimates could be two trillion or even higher," says Clive Mather, Shell's Canada chief. "This is a very, very big resource."

Very big? That’s eight times the amount of reserves in Saudi Arabia. The oil sands are buried under forests in Alberta that are the size of Florida. The oil here doesn’t come gushing out of the sand the way it does in the Middle East. The oil is in the sand. It has to be dug up and processed.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/20/60minutes/main1225184.shtml


There are processing costs associated with this oil but given it's proximity to the US I wonder if those costs are prohibitive.

Also, it would be a hell of a lot easier to occupy Canada than a nation full of people that don't mind blowing themselves up in the Middle East. After all Canada is littered with the French and we all know bravery isn't exactly their strongsuit. 

Just a joke Jag don't get upset.

[Deedee]

Must you tell everyone? 

Well, if you invade I advise you to keep keri lotion in the tanks and maybe some chapstick... winters are brutal out west. 

But seriously, the US gets almost as much oil from Canada as Saudi Arabia, and it wouldn't surprise me if this proposed North American "alliance" has a little to do with all the oil that will shortly be harvested in mass quantities, among other benefits, of course.  It's funny that most americans are so uninformed about these things.

[ieffinhatecardio]

The hub of the oil sands in Alberta is in Fort McMurray which is 500 miles from Montana or the closest US soil. Iraq is roughly 6000 miles from US Soil.

Considering the vast oil reserves in Alberta and their proximity to the US the processing costs must be prohibitive. Why else would we be fighting a war with suicide bombers in a culture that we will never understand for oil when as much if not more oil is available 500 miles away?

[240 is Back]

the northern american alliance, in my guess, will use the following:

Mexico for labor for all 3 nations.
Canada for resources for all 3 nations.
US for leadership/mgmt for all 3 nations.

We'll be able to compete with china on mnfg because we'll be able to match their low wages, using mex workers.  We'll be able to rely less on foreign oil, as we have canada's.  And with lower fuel costs and economy boost from mnfg sector, we can invest profits into bumping up our education base to compete with IndoEur, so we stop getting our asses handed to us in the classrooms and later boardrooms.

IMO it'll be a gradual series of agreements and changes - the road from mex thru texas to canada is a first step, as is the Amero they keep talking about.  I dunno how I feel about it.  i don't want much to change here.  And if it does, I pray I'm long gone before every border is opened and stuff gets messy here.

[240 is Back]

The hub of the oil sands in Alberta is in Fort McMurray which is 500 miles from Montana or the closest US soil. Iraq is roughly 6000 miles from US Soil.

Considering the vast oil reserves in Alberta and their proximity to the US the processing costs must be prohibitive. Why else would we be fighting a war with suicide bombers in a culture that we will never understand for oil when as much if not more oil is available 500 miles away?

Easy.  cause we have to pay Canda market value for the oil.  We pay iraq any price we want.  When we're talking about a savings of trillions of dollars by taking Iraq, and retaining that option to buy from Canada later, we have our cake and eat it too

[ieffinhatecardio]

Easy.  cause we have to pay Canda market value for the oil.  We pay iraq any price we want.  When we're talking about a savings of trillions of dollars by taking Iraq, and retaining that option to buy from Canada later, we have our cake and eat it too

I understand that but couldn't we have strongarmed diplomatically worked a deal with Canada for lower prices? I have a feeling the current technology isn't able to process the sands cheaply enough to make for viable profit margins.

At least I hope so because all that oil 500 miles away and accessible without having to fight suicide bombers and insurgents with no value for human life looks rather enticing, at least from where I sit. 

[24KT]

I understand that but couldn't we have strongarmed diplomatically worked a deal with Canada for lower prices? I have a feeling the current technology isn't able to process the sands cheaply enough to make for viable profit margins.

At least I hope so because all that oil 500 miles away and accessible without having to fight suicide bombers and insurgents with no value for human life looks rather enticing, at least from where I sit. 

The process is already underway.
The heavily Liberal senate just signed into law a bill revoking the prime minister's powers to call an election. Under this new legislation election dates will be fixed every 4 years. Hmmm... every 4 yrs... Gee... that sounds familiar.

They are 'harmonizing' both countries. They'll have a fight on their hands when they go after health care

[ieffinhatecardio]

The process is already underway.
The heavily Liberal senate just signed into law a bill revoking the prime minister's powers to call an election. Under this new legislation election dates will be fixed every 4 years. Hmmm... every 4 yrs... Gee... that sounds familiar.

They are 'harmonizing' both countries. They'll have a fight on their hands when they go after health care

Jag, how do you feel about a little US occupation in Canada? Are you ready to be a friendly neighbor and allow us to access all that beautiful oil at a cheap fair price?

[ToxicAvenger]

Must you tell everyone? 

Well, if you invade I advise you to keep keri lotion in the tanks and maybe some chapstick... winters are brutal out west. 

But seriously, the US gets almost as much oil from Canada as Saudi Arabia, and it wouldn't surprise me if this proposed North American "alliance" has a little to do with all the oil that will shortly be harvested in mass quantities, among other benefits, of course.  It's funny that most republicans are so uninformed about these things.

fixed

[Deedee]

Some people think that as global warming progresses, parts of the US currently producing corn will be scalding hot, whereas the climate in Canada, currently too cold to sustain such crops will become the future producer.  As well, if global warming does indeed exist, scientists predict that ice melting in the far north will open new trade routes, which of course the US will want to get in on in a big way. The US currently imports 17% of its oil from Canada, as well as enormous quantities of natural gas and cheap hydro.

I hadn't heard that Judi about the gov. harmonizing itself with the US but it makes perfect sense. 

Anyone living in the northeast near the Can/US border already live fairly "borderless." Vermont is basically French for "Green Mountains" and there are a lot of French Canadian last names living there and into Massacheusetts (sp?).

[Deedee]

fixed

lol!!!

[G.STEELE]

I live in Alberta and we still don't have any f'n $ for schools, roads, LRT etc.
Bloody Government.
PS - all the frenchies are out east.

[bmacsys]

The hub of the oil sands in Alberta is in Fort McMurray which is 500 miles from Montana or the closest US soil. Iraq is roughly 6000 miles from US Soil.

Considering the vast oil reserves in Alberta and their proximity to the US the processing costs must be prohibitive. Why else would we be fighting a war with suicide bombers in a culture that we will never understand for oil when as much if not more oil is available 500 miles away?

Extracting oil from the sands is probitively expensive. Thats why it isn't being done on any scale. Oil would have to be about 300 dollars per barrel to make it economically feasable.

[24KT]

Extracting oil from the sands is probitively expensive. Thats why it isn't being done on any scale. Oil would have to be about 300 dollars per barrel to make it economically feasable.

With current technology, it requires 2 barrels of oil, ...just to extract one barrel of oil from the tar sands.

In addition, there's a lot of land getting ripped up in the process.

[24KT]

Jag, how do you feel about a little US occupation in Canada? Are you ready to be a friendly neighbor and allow us to access all that beautiful oil at a cheap fair price?

Occupation? The US will NEVER occupy Canada for reasons which I have previously outlined. 

I've always welcomed trade with the US. I just wish y'all would get your dollar back up to where it used to be.

I doubt that will ever happen on Bush's watch or on any Republican's watch.

[24KT]

Some people think that as global warming progresses, parts of the US currently producing corn will be scalding hot, whereas the climate in Canada, currently too cold to sustain such crops will become the future producer.  As well, if global warming does indeed exist, scientists predict that ice melting in the far north will open new trade routes, which of course the US will want to get in on in a big way. The US currently imports 17% of its oil from Canada, as well as enormous quantities of natural gas and cheap hydro.

I hadn't heard that Judi about the gov. harmonizing itself with the US but it makes perfect sense. 

Anyone living in the northeast near the Can/US border already live fairly "borderless." Vermont is basically French for "Green Mountains" and there are a lot of French Canadian last names living there and into Massacheusetts (sp?).

It happened on Tuesday. I've been watching it take place incrementally since Mike Harris took over in Ontario in '96.