Tar Sands

Nov 8, 2018 -  This report analyzes the economics of the five largest bitumen-extractive corporations in Canada. The “Big Five” are Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL), Cenovus Energy, Imperial Oil, and Husky Energy. We examine the key features of the five firms and analyze their accumulation dynamics in the context of the latest commodity cycle: boom (2004–2014), bust (2014–2016), and restructuring and consolidation (2015 onward).

November 1st 2018

The Price of Oil

The Alberta Energy Regulator is apologizing for a “staggering” presentation, made last February by one of its highest-ranking officials, warning the province’s oilpatch that it could be sitting on an estimated $260 billion in financial liabilities.

November 1st 2018

Nov 1, 2018 - Cleaning up Alberta's fossil fuel industry could cost an estimated $260 billion, internal regulatory documents warn.

The staggering financial liabilities for the energy industry’s graveyard of spent facilities were spelled out by a high-ranking official of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) in a February presentation to a private audience in Calgary.

The past year has seen intense political fighting between Alberta and British Columbia centred on pipeline development, the actions of protesters, and environmental issues more broadly. Given the importance of the issues involved, the authors re-examined the results of a survey of residents of Alberta and BC, conducted between February 9, 2017 and March 9, 2017 by the Population Research Laboratory at the University of Alberta.

Oct 22, 2018 - 

In a decision without precedent in its 25 years of existence, British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has told Progress Energy that two massive unauthorized dams that it built will not have to undergo environmental assessments.

Oct 18, 2018 - Highly concentrated corporate ownership of Canada's energy sector and lack of government influence mean there's very little incentive for the fossil fuel industry to pay attention to the dangers of global climate change or worry about the communities and workers that depend on it.

One week ago, the price American refineries will pay for a barrel of Alberta bitumen fell to just below US$30. A seismic jolt raced through the tar sands/oil sands industry, because that price would barely allow even the biggest, most profitable operators to recover operating costs.

[Webside editor: Watch Tzeporah Berman's speach to the Alberta Teachers Conference here.]

To invest in Alberta’s oil industry, or back away slowly, was the question at the crux of a rift between Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and environmentalist and policy adviser Tzeporah Berman last weekend.