Tag: energy news

Hard men needed for bitter cold

Drill, Baby, Drill 12 Comments

Now Hiring: Project Greenland. “Stampede Drilling Inc. is headed north for Project Greenland, part of a major Arctic drilling campaign, and we’re looking for a tough, experienced crew ready to take on the cold and get the job done right.”

If this makes you think of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous ad, I’m with you. That one said, “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”

*Note – due to a glitch, this is a republished post.

Giving Ottawa the bird on coal

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 7 Comments
Boundary Dam Power Station on the day Unit 4 returned to life. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Boundary Dam Unit 4 fired up on April 22, and it’s more significant than you might think

Up until now, the coal-fired power refurbishment may have seemed like a lot of talk. On Wednesday, April 22, it became real. And that’s significant for a number of reasons.

Not the least of which is it is in total defiance of federal coal regulations. Saskatchewan is giving Ottawa the bird.

Sask NDP’s big plan for the electrical grid: Hint – lots of wind and solar, and natural gas

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 7 Comments

I spent 11 hours working on this story, which I broke into four parts. These are the first two, the next two will come out early next week.

The NDP again want to see coal-fired power go away, “as practical.” The want to convert coal plants to natural gas, even though Saskatchewan has lots of coal but not much in the way of natural gas anymore. We drilled ten gas wells over the last decade, and Alberta did that many by noon today.

There is of course the obligatory massive buildout of wind and solar, and storage. And just coincidentally, three hours after the press conference, wind output in Alberta fell to next to nothing, again.

Digging deep on the NDP’s “Grid & Growth” plan for Saskatchewan’ electrical grid, Part 1

Part 2: Nuclear

NDP want to increase net-metering rate

Also:

Jim Warren: A History of Oil Production and Price Crises 1973-1991

Wildcatting in Greenland. Seriously

Drill, Baby, Drill 28 Comments

Stampede Drilling is going to wildcat in Greenland – and that’s no joke

Stampede Drilling, originally founded in Estevan, is sending a drilling rig to Greenland, yes, Greenland, to drill for oil. This is about as wildcat as you can possibly get, in one of the most inaccessible and hostile places on the planet.
This is NOT an April Fool’s joke, either.

(For those unfamiliar with the term, wildcatting means drilling for oil or gas in an area not previously developed. It’s a highly risky venture.) https://glossary.slb.com/terms/w/wildcat

Coal three ways – four, actually

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 10 Comments

Three in-depth pieces on coal-fired power today:

NDP say coal refurbishment will double electricity rates by 2050, prefer natural gas and renewables instead

NDP analysis of coal refurbishment and its impact on rates, in depth

SaskPower Minister responds to NDP study on refurbishing coal and its impact on rates

In cased you missed this major related story on Monday:

BREAKING: Data centre hinges on dispatchable baseload power, including coal refurbishment

I would like to point out that the Leader Post, CTV and CBC failed to mention, or perhaps even realize, that it will be coal powering that new data centre in Regina. Where did they think that power is going to come from? I know! Solar, at night!

 

Could Iran be the next “Forever War?”

Drill, Baby, Drill 55 Comments

Weekend Watch: The Iran War Expert: I Simulated The Iran War for 20 Years. Here’s What Happens Next.

While watching this, consider if the Iran War does become a forever war, what will it’s impact be on oil production, delivery through the Strait of Hormuz or lack thereof, the world economy, Canadian and Saskatchewan oil production could be profound and last years? Could this lead to a global recession, but good times for our oilpatch? Remember the $147 WTI barrel of July, 2008, led to the global financial crisis that September. Some of us are still bearing the scars of that.

I know I am.

Place your bets!

Drill, Baby, Drill 44 Comments

Brian Zinchuk: Place your bets! What will the oil price be due to the Iran war?

I’m guessing oil prices are going to shoot up really high, in short order.

I just got in my inbox this morning:

  • QatarEnergy halts LNG production at the world’s largest plant
  • European gas prices up 48% from Friday levels
  • No LNG vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz
  • Around 20% of global LNG supply effectively cut off

But there was “No business case” for Canadian LNG. Or Energy East, for that matter.

Also:

AtkinsRéalis’ Case for CANDU Part 2: A Canada-wide fleet purchase?

On the topic of nuclear power: Mike Harris, former premier of Ontario, will be talking nuclear power generation on the Pipeline Online Podcast on Tues., Mar. 3, at 10 a.m. Join us live on X at https://x.com/Pipeline_Online. I plan on asking about the big picture considerations on nuclear power.

Can Saskatchewan do the CANDU?

Drill, Baby, Drill 12 Comments

Should Saskatchewan buy the CANDU reactor when it comes to building large-scale nuclear in this province? Carl Marcotte Senior Vice-President, Marketing & Business Development at CANDU Energy, part of AtkinsRealis, makes the pitch. Building large reactors will only be the largest, most expensive decision made by this province for generations.

Pipeline Online Podcast Ep. 29: Carl Marcotte, CANDU Energy

I’m hoping to get Westinghouse on in a future episode, as the main competitor.

Related: Cameco CEO on whirlwind Washington trip for talks on reactor deal

Also – Jim Warren: Critical questions about the Alberta-Ottawa pipeline MOU remain unanswered

Enbridge unfazed by prospect of more Venezuelan oil headed to Gulf Coast

TC Energy sets growth sights on U.S. data centre boom

Get the paddles!

Drill, Baby, Drill 6 Comments

Things have been looking really bleak for southwest Saskatchewan’s oilpatch. If this were a medical drama, this would be where the doctor puts the paddles on the dying patient’s chest, yells, “Clear!” and shocks the patient.

We might have just seen a little blip on the heart monitor with this land sale.

Whew! Southwest Saskatchewan sees more interest in this land sale than in all of 2025 combined

And yes, it is that bad. Most oilfield services in that region have either shut down or are barely hanging on. I spent an hour yesterday talking to the owner of several businesses in that area.

 

BREAKING: Coal injunction tossed, judicial activism rebuked

Climate Cult 7 Comments
Boundary Dam Power Station

BREAKING: Coal injunction tossed; court says governments get to make environmental policy. In other words, the coal injunction is dead it its tracks. @SaskPower can rejuvenate its coal fleet. The decision is a rebuke of the trend of judge-made law and activist courts, clearly noting the supremacy of the legislative branch in making policy.

This is a huge decision on many points – not just on coal, but on putting activist judges in their place. It will be cited for a long time to come.

The pendulum just may be swinging back to sanity.

Also: NDP criticizes impending SaskPower rate hikes, minister responds

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