Tag: energy news

Change is a constant in the universe, but many oilfield services are feeling the brunt of it

Drill, Baby, Drill 20 Comments
This is the heart of the Viewfield Bakken, just two miles west of Stoughton with Highway 13 on the north edge. Count all the wells in this two-section block highlighted in yellow. Half of those wells cover the other side of the road. The remaining are within these two sections. It is now possible to essentially replace all of those wells with just one, singlular open hole multi-lateral with two mile-long laterals. And three mile-long laterals are on their way, which would add one more section. In this case, there are 23 lease pads within that block (not counting the ones on the north side of the road). Similar exposure to the reservoir can now be done with just one lease pad. Google Earth.

My stomach has been tied up in knots for months as to whether I should write this story. In Saskatchewan, most of the oilfield jobs are in the oilfield services. And I’ve had more conversations than I can count as to “why things are slow.” It’s not just oil prices, which aren’t great. There is a major technological change that is happening that is impacting much of the industry. I finally decided people need to know what is actually going on in as fulsome way as possible.

I’ve always told my kids, “Do you want me to sugar coat things or tell it to you straight?” They’ve always wanted it straight. So that’s what I’m doing here.

The ‘next big thing’ is big multi-lateral wells – but the impact is devastating to many oilfield services

Podcast on Sask NDP’s take on coal, minister response

Climate Cult 4 Comments

Pipeline Online Podcast: Aleana Young Ep. 15: Would the Sask NDP reverse the coal decision? And what about nuclear?

It was a pretty lively and interesting podcast.

And here’s the minister’s response to this text story: Coal Revival: Would the NDP reverse the coal decision? And why are they now big on nuclear power?

Minister’s comments:

Coal Revival: Harrison says NDP will shut down coal plants immediately if they were to form government.

First good sleep in years

Drill, Baby, Drill 5 Comments

Coal Revival: “I’m going to stay,” one coal worker told IBEW

Coal Revival: “I’m going to stay,” one coal worker told IBEW. This is one union that is over the moon with the right wing government that just saved their industry and jobs.

More formal letter of support from IBEW:

Coal Revival: IBEW says coal announcement will ‘have a meaningful impact on the lives of our members and their families’

Part 5 of Upgrader series:

Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders, Part 5: Were the Regina and Lloydminster upgraders worth it? The two upgraders’ massive impact on provincial revenue

Pick up your jaws…

Drill, Baby, Drill 18 Comments

Coal Revival: United Mine Workers say federal mandate to phase out coal-fired electricity posed existential threats to entire communities

Here’s a union supporting a right-wing government’s move to rebuild its coal fleet. It has everything to do with the left wing wants their industry to disappear, and the SaskParty is moving to keep it going for decades to come. Interesting, that. As in the musical Hamilton – The World Turned Upside Down.

“Saskatchewan’s leadership in asserting provincial jurisdiction over its energy future deserves recognition. While the federal mandate to phase out coal-fired electricity by 2030 posed existential threats to entire communities, this new direction offers hope and continuity.”

I’ll have a more in-depth interview with the union in coming days, as well as a similar story from the other union involved, and a similar tale.

Also, in my series on the upgraders:

Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders Part 3: The Lloydminster Bi-Provincial Upgrader doubled the city in size

 

Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders

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BY BRIAN ZINCHUK 

In late June, Federated Co-operatives Limited will be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Regina Refinery Complex. In September, 2022, Pipeline Online published a six-part series on the two Grant Devine-era heavy oil upgraders, and their lasting impact. One of those upgraders is an integral part of the Regina Refinery Complex, and thus, is a major part of the history of that refinery. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, Pipeline Online is republishing this series.

Regina Refinery at 90 and Devine’s Upgraders, Part 1: The two heavy oil upgraders built by the Grant Devine government had a tough opening act, but became anchors for Saskatchewan’s current economy

Also:

Saskatchewan premier says he can ‘get behind’ Ottawa’s energy superpower vision

Trump leaves G7 summit early amid escalations in Middle East

New Liberal Energy Minister sends different message

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 21 Comments

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, verbatim

In Pipeline Online’s continuing mission to tell you exactly what the federal Liberal government is saying on energy and environmental policy, this is the verbatim speech of the new Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson, who spoke at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on May 23. In this case, the ministry was kind enough to provide the transcript online, indicating this is a message they really, really want to get out there.

And it is worth taking in. This guy sounds NOTHING like Wilkinson or Guilbeault. He promises reviews in 2 years, not 5. Wilkinson wanted to keep it in the ground.

You can also watch it in the link provided in the story on CPAC’s YouTube channel. I encourage you to take the time to do so. It’s cued up to start at his speech, but if you want to hear his background, which including working on the financing for the Alliance Pipeline, rewind a bit and hear a glowing introduction from the CEO of Suncor.

Notably, the Alliance Pipeline he mentioned financing was the last major pipeline project I worked on. I started work three weeks after my wedding. And out of the 12 guys on my road bore crew, I was the only one married once.

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For giggles, if you want to see who the Anti-Zinchuk is, this is a video from Markham Hislop. He posts daily videos hating everything about the Canadian energy sector, from every angle imaginable. In this video he shoots down the idea Hodgson speaks of regarding Canada becoming an energy superpower. Didn’t Harper come up with that? That’s right, he did.

 

It got 14000 views in less than a day, and 255 comments.

YARN | I hate that guy! | Despicable Me (2010) | Video gifs by quotes | 018ef568 | 紗

Be sure to check out the Pipeline Online Podcast at 1 p.m. Monday, May 26, live on X, LinkedIn and Facebook, with guest Ken From, former CEO of SaskEnergy, TSASK, PTRC, and Prairie Hunter Energy. 

 

Trudeau’s letters were all about climate change. Carney, not so much

Climate Cult 32 Comments

Carney’s mandate letter to ministers is dramatically different than Trudeau’s, with climate change an afterthought. Trudeau mentioned climate 27 times in his letter to Steven Guilbeault, 20 times to Jonathan Wilkinson. Carney? Once, and almost in passing.

Another major nuclear announcement, this time in Tennessee, which will have impact on SaskPower’s nuclear ambitions.

 

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