Author: Brian Zinchuk

BREAKING: Bell to quadruple size of Regina data centre under construction

Drill, Baby, Drill 25 Comments

BREAKING: Bell to quadruple the size of Regina AI data centre, build its own 900 MW of power generation

They haven’t even finished building the first part of its Regina data centre, yet Bell Canada will now quadruple it in size. The announcement is the largest dollar value project in Saskatchewan history, and its power consumption will equal 42 per cent of Saskatchewan’s current power generation on a mid-September day.

The power consumption will be equal to four BHP Jensen potash mines, which is to be the largest in the world. The economic impact of $50 billion will be greater that the dollar value of Saskatchewan’s provincial budget for not one, but two years, with several billion more to spare.

This is mammoth.

Also, check out today’s podcast, where Bronwyn and I got into a heavy debate with a gentleman on coal fired power generation.

The Great Coal Debate: Should Saskatchewan refurbish its coal fleet? Mitch Carlson on Ep. 44 Pipeline Online Podcast

And

Jim Warren: The more we learn about Donald Trump’s Venezuelan oil deal, the worse it looks

WAR! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

Drill, Baby, Drill 18 Comments

First of all, I’m not endorsing this video. There’s a fair bit of hyperbole. But it is also a very interesting perspective on the current trade war between the United States and Canada. 

Weekend Watch: The US-Canada War has begun

Additional weekend reading:

Jim Warren: It’s kinda hard to worry about the climate when Trump’s trade war might put you out of work

Officials break ground on massive carbon capture project in central Alberta

Not sure if I posted this earlier in the week:

Pipeline Online Podcast Ep. 42: Chris Beaudry, Saskatchewan Minister of Energy and Resources. Topics include ongoing trade war, pipelines, Venezuela, and growing Saskatchewan oil production. Beaudry will be speaking at the upcoming Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show in mid-September.

How well do large hail and large solar arrays mix?

Climate Cult 17 Comments

So I just posted this on Facebook. I wonder what sort of response I’ll get?

So that purple area is right over the Turning Sun solar array under construction southwest of Estevan. This is at 11:50 p.m. on Friday. I feel bad for the farmers, for sure, as that purple is likely hail. The question is, how will the array fare? I’m not nearby this weekend, so if anyone notices any damage, please let me know.
This is what Environment Canada says: “At 11:46 PM CST, a line of severe thunderstorms is located from about Oungre to Estevan then to 25 km south of North Portal. These severe thunderstorms are moving northeast at 35 km/h. Damaging wind gusts, up to quarter size hail and heavy rain are possible.”

A big question I’ve been asking for years is this: Show me one place in Saskatchewan where you can guarantee it will not be hit by toonie sized hail over the next 25 years? I asked SARM’s board this. They all laughed, because they have a hail insurance company for that exact reason. My own place has been hit by toonie to baseball sized hail twice in 18 years. My dad’s farm was wiped out by the white combine around 1987. So how will hundreds of millions of dollars of solar panels hold up when the inevitable happens? This array is supposed to pivot vertically to reduce damage, something fixed arrays can’t do. Maybe that’ll help. This particular area in the image has hit hard several years ago by hail. I hope it’s just rain, for the farmers’ sake. If you know what happens, please comment below or let me know.

Trump may have laid his trump card

Drill, Baby, Drill 104 Comments
President Donald J. Trump speaks with members of the media alongside outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Friday, August 21, 2026, en route to South Carolina. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

 

Trump announces major Venezuela oil deal, and what it means for Canada

The timing of this, in the midst of a major trade dispute between Canada and the US, as well as the impending Alberta independence referendum, if likely no coincidence. Trump may have just played his trump card, as it were. If our biggest customer of our most valuable product no longer needs or wants it, what are we to do?

No can do

Drill, Baby, Drill 54 Comments

Moe: “We cannot in any way support the adding of export tariffs on a product like oil”

“Again, this is only a function of a flawed policy discussion that we have had in this nation over the course of the last decade or better, where we see those very, in all too often, those very same individuals that are promoting export tariffs on a product like oil, 10 years ago, were the very same individuals standing up and saying we should not build important energy security infrastructure like the Energy East Pipeline.” – Scott Moe

Think about this: The top three contributors to Saskatchewan’s GDP is oil, potash and ag, with oil and potash vying for top spot (usually it’s oil, but potash might beat it this year). If we put an export tax on any of those, we’re shooting ourself through the foot, floor, and neighbour’s ceiling in the apartment below us.

Betting the wind will always blow, when it doesn’t.

Climate Cult 14 Comments

NDP release Pembina Institute paper on costs of coal refurbishment, but the paper leaves out a lot of context. The report puts a lot of faith in wind and solar, but real world examples over the last two weeks bring that faith into doubt. Using the scenarios the Pembina Institute outlines in the report quoted by the NDP, on Aug. 12, Saskatchewan would have run out of batteries six times in 24 hours.

And just after I finished writing this at 2 a.m., I got an email alert that Alberta wind generation fell to less than 1 per cent output, again. But they have no use for baseload power. Good grief.

 

Trump pauses tariffs, deal may have been reached, and KXL

Drill, Baby, Drill 33 Comments

Posted on Donald Trump’s official Truth Social on Tuesday night:

“I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL! The great Keystone XL Pipeline, long ago killed by Sleepy Joe Biden, may be awoken from the grave! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP”

Here’s what it means for Saskatchewan and the oil industry:

Trump says trade deal reached, and Keystone XL “May be awoken from the grave”

 

You know you were waiting for it

Drill, Baby, Drill 2 Comments

Pipeline Online Podcast is now on Spotify

Sometimes, when you’re a one man band, it’s hard to find time to play the trumpet while you’re also playing the tuba. And such, it has taken much longer than it should have to get the Pipeline Online Podcast connected with Spotify in such a way that included the video.

It only took about 20 hours to upload the back catalog.

Also:

The good professor wanted me to print a rebuttal. So I did.

Op-Ed: Brett Dolter: A rebuttal to coal analysis by Pipeline Online

and

Pembina Pipeline says West Coast pipeline stake fits into its broader strategy

 

 

How much? A zillion? Surely more than that!

Ethical Energy 7 Comments

NDP claim coal refurbishments will cost even more, while SaskPower minister tours Boundary Dam and Estevan mine

On a day when the Minister Responsible for SaskPower was touring the work done on the coal-fired Boundary Dam Power Station Unit 4 and the nearby Estevan coal mine, the Saskatchewan NDP was quoting another number, their highest yet, as an estimated cost of the coal refurbishments. But what are those numbers based on?
Pipeline Online digs into that analysis, and finds the scenarios each to have significant flaws.

Also:

Jim Warren: Why the biggest oil supply crisis in history hasn’t produced the highest crude prices in recent history

What goes up is more than balloons

Drill, Baby, Drill 3 Comments

Pipeline Online Podcast Ep. 40: James Baker of Helium Evolution

Helium Evolution is an active player in the Saskatchewan helium space. Helium is one of the materials dramatically affected by the Iran War. James Baker is chair of Helium Evolution and one if its founders. It’s all about rockets, MRIs and high tech, not balloons. 

Here’s a sample:

Also:

Construction begins on $4-billion Enbridge natural gas pipeline expansion in B.C.

Nemeth Report: US Grid Crisis Exposed Virtual Power Plants, NE Instability & Shorting the Grid with Meredith Angwin

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