Five years ago today, 427 trucks rolled through Estevan, protesting Trudeau’s energy policies
Five years ago on Dec. 22, 427 semis, service rigs, bed trucks, crew trucks, pickups and everything in between showed up on a spur-of-the-moment to protest the energy policies of the Canadian federal Liberal government. It took less than 48 hours, from the time the decision was made to go ahead with a truck convoy protest in Estevan, until the first truck rolled out of Bert Baxter Transport’s yard.
Wind bottoms out across 14 states in Southwest Power Pool SPP on Dec. 22
That also meant that of any electrons coming across the border at that time, if SaskPower was buying any power from SPP, 83.4 per cent of that power would have been coming from coal and natural gas, and would not have had a carbon tax applied to it.
Clean Electricity Regulations proposed by the federal government mean to totally change our nation and its economy. And nuclear power is really the only option Saskatchewan has for large-scale, baseload power that does not emit greenhouse gasses.
Part 3 discusses the Clean Electricity Regulations and their impact, and widespread adoption of nuclear power
It wasn’t that long ago, Crescent Point was pouring nearly all its capital budget into Saskatchewan, often employing over 20 drilling rigs in this province alone, and one in Alberta. My, how times have changed.
Its revised five year plan doesn’t even mention Saskatchewan by name.
The company has historically shown a pattern before it sells off an asset. It stops all drilling in that area months before a sale is announced. When I took Saskatchewan’s Minister of Energy for a tour west of Estevan, there wasn’t one rig drilling west of Estevan all the way to the Shaunavon area. When the photo above was taken in February, 2018, the company was running about 10 rigs in one township alone west of Estevan.
This is a key reason why I asked some hard questions of Premier Scott Moe about the lack of drilling activity in Part 2 of my year end interview with him (posted yesterday)
EDIT: Noting the lack of comments, let me provide some context: An enormous portion of Saskatchewan’s prosperity over the last 15 years, including its transition from a have-not to a have province, could be contributed to Crescent Point’s actions from 2007-2020. In 2008, they spent about a billion on land sales alone, then many, many more billions in the subsequent years developing that land through intense drilling efforts. For a while around 2012-ish they were Saskatchewan’s largest oil producer. Through a series of something like 30 mergers and acquisitions, the company built up a huge land base in this province, principally in southeast Saskatchewan. For several years, they were the top drilling oil producer in all of Canada, often employing more rigs than No. 2 and 3 combined. And usually all but one of those rigs were working in this province.
Now that is dramatically diminished. They’re milking Saskatchewan but spending substantially less here. I won’t say minimal, but it is a huge, huge, difference. So when they’ve found a new lover, as it were, in Alberta’s Duvernay and Montney plays, that might be good for them, but not so much for us left out here in the frozen barren wasteland of southeast Saskatchewan.
Get it now?
The old bumper sticker used to say something like, “Lord, please grant me another oil boom, and I promise not to piss it away this time.”
The "one more oil boom" bumper sticker is back. #Alberta pic.twitter.com/PgAcALrAgr
— Justin Giovannetti (@justinCgio) September 20, 2016
Well, oil prices were up in 2023, but oil drilling in Saskatchewan certainly didn’t reflect that. So Pipeline Online asked Premier Scott Moe what Saskatchewan is going to do about it.
Saskatchewan’s Year in Energy: Premier Scott Moe, 2023: Part 2 Oil Drilling, or Lack Thereof
Across the border to the west, The last coal-fired power station in Alberta will soon be out of coal. A few weeks ago, a notice posted to the the Alberta Electric System Operator website provided an update on its conversion to natural gas.
The end of coal-fired power in Alberta is nigh
Also, from Canadian Press:
Regulator denied Trans Mountain variance request due to pipeline safety concerns
And this one is a doozy. This is the Liberal government trying to cement into place carbon pricing so that even if the government changes, nothing can be done about it.
Feds sign first carbon contract for difference with Calgary-based Entropy
Energy, and the “energy transition” being forced upon Canadians by the federal government, is becoming the dominant story, affecting all our lives and everything we do. In his year-end interview with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, Pipeline Online dives deep into the biggest energy issues of the past year.
This is Part 1: Fighting the Feds.
Part 2 will focus on addressing low oil drilling activity, despite decent oil prices.
Part 3 discusses the Clean Electricity Regulations and their impact, and widespread adoption of nuclear power.
Part 4 talks about lithium and helium development, and ends with Christmas greetings.
Editor’s Note: In Pipeline Online’s continuing mission to allow the people of Saskatchewan know precisely what their federal government is telling them on climate change initiatives, here’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault’s press release of Dec. 19, explaining how the federal government will move to outlaw the sale of gas and diesel light vehicles in 11 years and 13 days. This press release has quotes from no less than five federal ministers and one parliamentary secretary.
And here’s the verbatim backgrounder:
Canada’s Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (regulated targets for zero-emission vehicles) backgrounder, verbatim. Did you know EVs now work when it’s really cold? That’s what the feds say! Must be true!
Enbridge sells Alliance Pipeline, Aux Sable to Pembina Pipeline
This is part of a continuing trend of Enbridge selling assets to enhance its American expansion.
I worked on almost every dirt-moving crew on the construction of the Alliance Pipeline, from 35 C below to 30 C above. I started on road bores, special projects, ditch, tie-ins, did a bit of backfill and eventually final cleanup. I started work three weeks after my wedding, and out of the 12 guys on my road bore crew bus, I was the only one married once.
“We reached a historic consensus to move away from fossil fuels in energy systems,” Guilbeault’s statement on the conclusion of COP28, verbatim.
And the Canadian Press version:
Guilbeault hails ‘monumental’ COP28 deal, others warn of ‘dangerous distractions’
Also:
COP28 Agreement Signals “Beginning of the End” of the Fossil Fuel Era: the verbatim press release
And the conclusion from yesterday’s op-ed:
Op-Ed: Deidra Garyk: The Impact of ESG on the Energy Sector, Part 2
And since it’s the Christmas season, and Die Hard IS a Christmas movie, here’s a little Hans Gruber. Notice any resemblance to anyone? And if you don’t think Die Hard is a Christmas movie, fight me! Yippee Kai Yay, …
My thoughts on the current situation at #COP28, and why we must deliver on a solid agreement. pic.twitter.com/Uq0U4mfabA
— Steven Guilbeault (@s_guilbeault) December 12, 2023
Like or hate it, believe it’s a passing fad or the wave of the future. #ESG came out of nowhere about four years ago and now is at the forefront of concern for almost every larger business in the energy sector, and beyond. This Op-Ed by Deidra Garyk studies the Impact of ESG on the Energy Sector, Part 1. Watch for Part 2 tomorrow.
And along those lines, the Coastal GasLink project was an ESG nightmare, with protests across the country. This Canadian Press story says Police violated protesters’ rights in Wet’suwet’en pipeline blockades, Amnesty says
Also, oil prices are plummeting. This is not good, here, there or, apparently, in New Mexico
No. 2 oil-producing US state braces for possible end to income bonanza in New Mexico
Pipeline Online columnist Brian Crossman hits it out of the park again:
Brian Crossman: Climate hysteria, teachers, kids and the end of the world
Also, you think anyone noticed prices going up? Wonder why? From Canadian Press:
Tories have ‘successfully’ scapegoated carbon price in affordability crisis: Trudeau
Feds “focused on targeting the shutdown of a complete industry, regardless of whether they’re going to meet their emissions targets or not,” says Saskatchewan Premier Moe in Dubai
Pipeline Online speaks with Premier Scott Moe at conclusion of Dubai COP28 trip. (Another reporter asked questions, too, like do you believe the planet is warming…?
20 of 42 solar facilities, 30 of 44 wind facilities in Alberta produce no power at noon on Friday
Canada introduces framework to cap greenhouse gas pollution from oil and gas sector: verbatim
From Canadian Press:
Cap on greenhouse gas emissions singles out Alberta, Premier Smith says
Oil and gas sector warns emissions cap could lead to production curtailments
So says the feds. Because of course it is. Thanks, Guilbeault and Wilkinson.
Oh, and the country with the largest oil reserves in the world is a failing state because of two decades of socialism. So what are they going to do? Invade their neighbour, to grab more oil. We don’t get a lot of nation-state wars and invasions in this hemisphere, but we might see one with days.
Guyana’s president says his country is preparing to defend itself from Venezuela over disputed area
And for something completely different,
(Yes, I know the graphic says 32nd year. It was originally published 6 years ago, and as updated, as it still applies today. No aircraft carrier for me, or likely you, either. But you know you wanted one.)
Federal and Nova Scotia governments kill offshore petroleum project in name of “clean energy”. No more gas development. Don’t even try. But wind? You betcha.
And here’s an analysis of why. It has a lot to do with the fact Nova Scotia can still pay for its hospitals with natural gas money, just natural gas produced in Alberta and Saskatchewan. And it has more to do with Guilbeault announcing a defacto production cap by banning venting and flaring.
And along the topic of the undead, the federal regulator still isn’t done with stretching out the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline. What’s another $200 million per month delay?
As a side note, two years ago I ran into the consultant whose job it was to shut down, abandon and clean up this project. He was the company man looking after the drilling of the first lithium well in Canada, near Torquay, Saskatchewan. I never got around to writing a story about it, dammit. Not enough hours in the day.
And if anyone feels like asking CJME/CKOM why Zinchuk isn’t scheduled to do his regular energy spot the first Wednesday of the month, as he did with Gormley:
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The carbon tax on farmers, and Bill C-234, according to Quick Dick McDick.
Cutting methane is one of the most cost-effective & impactful actions to tackle the climate crisis.
We announced strengthened methane regulations from the oil & gas sector to reach 75% less methane emissions by 2030, aligned with the U.S.https://t.co/FRw7N8oD9u#COP28 pic.twitter.com/5Zw7dyHsHz
— Steven Guilbeault (@s_guilbeault) December 4, 2023
Guilbeault’s latest application of a knee to the neck of the oil and gas industry in Canada:
Canada proposes new methane emissions rules for oil-and-gas sector
To which Saskatchewan responds:
‘A production cap by default’: Sask gov’t reacts to Guilbeault’s proposed methane regulations.
Ever hear about the Output Based Pricing? It’s basically a third form of carbon tax. Well, we’re going to use its proceeds to build reactors.
Saskatchewan to use Output Based Pricing to fund small modular reactor
In related news, in case you missed it Sunday night because I messed up my scheduling, a great column on Saskatchewan telling the feds to FU on the carbon tax on home heating:
Lithium in SK, Part 23: November Crown land sale shows expanding positions
Interestingly, the heart of some of the action is precisely where the heart of the Saskatchewan Bakken boom action took place.
Remember, this entire lithium adventure is being done with oilfield service companies and workers.
Do y’all like gladiator movies? What’s better than a bunch of big men trying to kill each other with swords, axes, spears and just good old fashioned bare fists. Not much in my opinion. It’s like UFC, except there is all that blood, dismemberment and death. The classic line by Russell Crowe in Gladiator “Are you not entertained?” always come to mind.
Like all screwed up stories in Canada lately, this one begins with our fearless leader, Justin Trudeau.
