Number of news stories in the main stream media covering a "secret" Ministerial Briefing written by a scientific expert detailing why Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) is not viable in Alberta's oilsands, contradicting speeches made by Premier Ed Stelmach during his trips across Canada, the United States, and Europe that the $2 billion tax-payer investment in CCS would green the oilsands:
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
november 24 to 26 in the alberta media. cynicism is inevitable.
Number of news stories in the main stream media covering Kevin Taft's non-binding Private Member's motion urging the Government of Alberta to adopt rodeo as Alberta's official sport: 14 (G&M, G&M, CP, Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, Calgary Sun, Calgary Herald, CP, Metro, iNews 880, Canadian Cattlemen, CTV Calgary, iNews 880, 630 CHED)
Number of news stories in the main stream media covering a "secret" Ministerial Briefing written by a scientific expert detailing why Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) is not viable in Alberta's oilsands, contradicting speeches made by Premier Ed Stelmach during his trips across Canada, the United States, and Europe that the $2 billion tax-payer investment in CCS would green the oilsands:2 3 (CBC, Metro + Edmonton Journal)
Number of news stories in the main stream media covering a "secret" Ministerial Briefing written by a scientific expert detailing why Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) is not viable in Alberta's oilsands, contradicting speeches made by Premier Ed Stelmach during his trips across Canada, the United States, and Europe that the $2 billion tax-payer investment in CCS would green the oilsands:
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http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=454f12fb-6e31-417d-8c64-4e46b2e3ff26
ReplyDeleteThanks. Points awarded to Archie and Trish.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, Neil Waugh briefly mentioned it in his column.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Waugh_Neil/2008/11/25/7523536.html
There is value in developing CCS technology as part of a larger strategy to reduce carbon emissions, but it has been misunderstood.
ReplyDeleteCCS is useful to capture concentrated carbon emitted by polluters like coal plants, so it has been mighty frustrating to listen to Premier Stelmach intentionally mislead the public into believing that CCS is an effective way to cut down carbon emissions from the oilsands. He spent nearly his entire trips to Europe and the US trying to sell the oilsands on this point (which according to CCS expert David Keith, is misleading).
Plus, the $2 billion could be spent many in better ways.
The problem is the same with the economy and royalties, these guys simply don't have a plan.
I really wish I could say I was surprised. Fluff pieces on stuff like our "official sport" repeatedly get more ink than stories about "government transparency".
ReplyDeleteIt's one guy's opinion.
ReplyDelete"It's one guy's opinion."
ReplyDeleteSure, but the "one guy" is also one of the world's leading experts on Carbon Capture and Sequestration. As the Canada Research Chair in Energy and the Environment at the University of Calgary, Dr. Keith's technical and policy work focuses on the capture and storage of CO2.
I have heard Dr. Keith speak on a number of occasions and am not sure who else the government could find to provide more knowledgeable analysis and advice on CCS.
This, of course, assumes that they were actually seeking knowledgeable analysis and advice on the subject.
It is likely that the political powers that be had already decided to move forward before they read this report.
Look folks, CBC is accusing the Government(s) of lying, of covering up information it had on CCS and the oil sands.
ReplyDeleteWell, go look at pages 7 and 8 of this report of January 2008, to see how much this was "kept from the public" and how amazing the CBC really is:
www.energy.gov.ab.ca/Org/pdfs/Fossil_energy_e.pdf
Says the same freaking thing CBC claims was "covered up" and it's the very report on which their "secret" briefing note was based. What did dave title this post, something about cynicism? You betcha.
What Alberta is trying has not been tried any where else in the world. On paper at least it should work. They are not filling oil caverns with it they plan on putting into the deep water aquifer which is unpotoble;poison.
ReplyDeleteThese aquifers are under bedrock. The Cabon dioxide should go super critical that is a dense liquid nearly a solid. In theroy at least, carbon would be absobed into the bedrocks to eventually make oil again.
To collect carbon in sufficient quantity takes a coal or similar opration. In North Dakota they are taking coal, putting it into a kiln type container, heating it and adding a bit of oxygen.
A flash fire takes care of all the other air components leaving behind pure carbon dioxide.
The continued heating of the coal is used to generate steam for use in electricty. What is left behind is super clean and consistant ash sutiable for other applictions.
In this case the pure CO2 taken off is piped to Saskatchwan who use it as a solvent to scrub oil off shale. They do not now how much stays down there or how much is absorbed into the oil. Effervescent oil a possiblity.
On the plus side Alberta's plan can be audited. Anything to do with audit and this Government is scary however.
There is about 5.1 billion dollars coming in now on royalty. Of this the Government has said 2 billion was going to Carbon storage.
There is nothing in this scenario that allows free carbon, that pumped out of machines. To be captured.
I can however see an application where the gas used to heat the water for their process could be enclosed and that gas affluent carbon dioxide may, just may be captured.
In all there are more questions than answers and the oil companies and this Government's secrecy does not make any of it easier to undersand.
i respect dr. keith's oppinion.
ReplyDeletebut, researching ccs is still a fantastic idea and should not be abandoned.
COAL COAL, accounts for half of the americans electricity production and we use tons in canada.
CCS technology is being developed right here in AB, this is technology that can be exported to the rest of world!
alberta is a province rich in engineers and scientists we must play to our strengths.
create jobs, make money and good for the environment. but we need a two front attack.
solar is on the way, too bad the germans and japanese have beaten the world us this one.
alberta and federal govt. should look at ways to help ontario invest in manufacturing sector to build this stuff.
we need to get a piece of this action and diversify. u know obama and the states will be pouring millions into alt. energy
J. Leinweber
..just because Mr. Taft says something, doesn't make it news.. as pointed out in detail yesterday on the Rutherford show, one of the authors of the "secret report" made it very clear that the relevant content of that report, including the short-term ability to capture Co2 in the oil sands, was already made public by the government..
ReplyDeleteSo.. the ridiculous spin of the CBC that they had a "secret" memo, was, just that, ridiculous spin.
But let me maybe pass you a thought.. do you think that you are perhaps watching a three-card monte show?
Perhaps you're watching the right hand waiving around with a big card that says "Co2".. and the hidden card you're not looking at is possible polution of the Athabasca..