Tag: energy news

If you can’t build a big pipeline, do you build small?

Drill, Baby, Drill 4 Comments

So it looks like a minor pipeline expansion of the Enbridge Mainline is in the works:

Enbridge has no plans to apply for national interest project as it tackles expansions.

And one of the companies that feeds those pipelines is Canadian Natural Resources:

Canadian Natural president awaiting more detail on Ottawa’s climate plans

And here’s a nice little video showing life on a drilling rig.

 

Saskatchewan commits to nuclear power generation: The full press conference video

Radioactive youmightbeinsaskatchewan 20 Comments

This is one of the most significant announcements in years.

This plan, if followed, will dramatically reshape Saskatchewan. Nuclear may not be cheap or easy, but it is also transformative in many ways. And as many participants and executives during the conference noted these power stations could last up to 100 years, this really is a case of planting trees so one’s grandchildren can play in the shade.

That plan, in its entirety, is reproduced here on Pipeline Online.

That’s just a part of the in-depth coverage of the conference’s events provided by Pipeline Online. Check out, for instance, the opening question Pipeline Online posed during the scrum portion, and then look at the question asked by other media at 44:51, when another reporter asked, “Can you clarify what you mean of nuclear power sources? Does that mean a nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan?”

“Yes, that’s what we’re talking about here,” Harrison responded.

Remember, she was standing there for 45 minutes, listening to over half an hour of press conference and then 10 minutes of questions to then ask if all this meant a nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan?

You might notice me in the middle of the pack, doing a face-palm.

Where would you prefer to get your energy news?

Time to make bank

Climate Cult 3 Comments

Saskatchewan-Alberta electrical intertie soon to be up and running, after being down nearly a year

So it turns out Alberta often gives away power for free when there’s lots of wind, and pays through the nose when there’s no wind. Unfortunately for the last year the only intertie connecting Alberta and Saskatchewan grids has been down. In the coming days it should be back, and Saskatchewan will again have the opportunity to make bank off Alberta’s interesting buy high, sell low strategy.

 

Break out the baloney!

Climate Cult 1 Comment

Just in case you were wondering…

If your turkey relied on wind power this Thanksgiving in Alberta, you’d be eating baloney sandwiches

 

Also:

Energy Realities Podcast: China v. America on Rare Earth and Critical Energy Minerals

Dr. Tammy Nemeth says, “In the end, who is the beneficiary of not allowing the West to build up its supply chains? It’s China.”

Maybe Saskatchewan needs to get moving on that whole rare earths thing. Lithium, too. Gotta power those iPhones.

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

Drill, Baby, Drill No Comments
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

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