Tag: energy news

Eastern bastards

Climate Cult 65 Comments

Holy mackerel! This story is well worth reading. The Churchill Falls deal between Quebec and Newfoundland was the most atrocious you could possibly imagine. On Thursday, a deal fixing that was signed.

Quebec and Newfoundland end one of the most bitter energy disputes in Canadian history over the horribly lopsided Churchill Falls deal. Quebec was getting power nearly free, and making billions off it while Newfoundland starved. No more.

FYI, Churchill Falls can produce more power than all of Saskatchewan, if every dam was full, every coal plant running full out, every wind turbine cranking and every natural gas plant humming. The deal that had been in place until 2041 would have had Quebec pay 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour until then. That’s effectively free. This changes all of that.

If Quebec and Newfoundland can make peace on this, maybe some day they’ll allow a pipeline through la belle province? Don’t bet your kids’ college fund on it.

 

Also:

Let those Yankee bastards freeze in the dark?

Ontario mulls U.S. booze ban as Trump brushes off Ford’s threat to cut electricity

That’ll go over well. The 10th Mountain Division will be invading the next day. Their home base is at Fort Drum, New York State. It’s within spitting distance of Kingston, Ont. So, good luck with that.

The case for, yes for, big wind at Weyburn

Climate Cult 38 Comments
Assembly of a wind turbine near Assiniboia, SK, on Jan. 7, 2021. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

I worked on this story for many days with one of the proponents whose family will account for around half of the land assembly for the project. The number was initially a lot higher but the project has been changed and adapted. He has some strong points in favour of wind development, and they should be heard.

This is what they call “journalism,” as in telling multiple sides of a story. And no one else is writing in depth stories like this in Saskatchewan.

That being said, I have another wind story about a great day of wind production in Alberta on Sunday – 74 per cent output. That’s four orders of magnitude better than it was at noon precisely seven days before. But that also caused pool prices to hit zero for 12 hours.

Again, I point out the problem with no one making money is no one is making money. That’s unsustainable. And the proposed reforms in Alberta will make it much worse, by introducing negative pricing. Ridiculous! Nothing with intrinsic value should ever be zero. Ever.

 

 

Climate change warrior shovels quarter billion SaskPower’s way

Climate Cult You Might Be A Liberal 12 Comments
Jonathan Wilkinson near Kipling, announcing $50 million for a wind project in June 2023. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

In Pipeline Online’s continuing mission to ensure we all know exactly what the federal government is telling us on climate change initiatives, this is the verbatim press release from the Government of Canada issued at 18:10 hrs on Dec. 5. Notably, it was not sent out via provincial media releases nor SaskPower’s media releases. And apparently according to the feds, Jansen is a company, not the place the largest mining company in the world, BHP, is building the world’s largest potash mind. Check that out in the opening paragraph.

(You’d think the natural resources minister, and ministry, might be aware of the largest potash mine in the world being built in their country)

The announcement was made by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson. He and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault are the federal Liberal government’s lead ministers on their numerous and various climate change initiatives. For good measure, we’ve interspersed a healthy dosage of oil and gas ads, that industry that this government’s Bill C-59 is trying to muzzle.

Highlights include money for a number of solar projects, advancing SMR development, the intertie to the United States, grid-scale batteries, and a “forecast that there will be over 130,000 clean energy jobs added in Saskatchewan between 2025 and 2050.”

Oh, and I am willing to bet a Christmas cheesecake the $265 million number was set so they could say it was more than Harper gave carbon capture in 2008 ($240 million). Never mind 9 years of inflation meaning my kid cries after buying groceries.

And on the topic of Guilbeault, Pipeline Online columnist Jim Warren, knocks another one out of the park talking about his involvement with the green slush fund.

 

What’s a drilling rig doing southeast of Moose Jaw?

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 30 Comments

What’s a drilling rig doing southeast of Moose Jaw? Drilling a CO2 sequestration well, naturally

And what are going to use that CO2 for, pray tell? Producing more oil, baby! (Well, not the stuff that’s going into this well, but all the CO2 that’s going to go in the pipeline past it. You’ll have to read the story to understand.)

Canada steadfast on climate plan despite Trump re-election: Guilbeault

Good thing oil companies can make money in spike of Guilbeault.

Suncor Energy earnings rise to $2.02 billion in third quarter

Trump won. Build that pipeline

Baiting The Left Drill, Baby, Drill 28 Comments
Donald Trump on May 26, 2016, when he was asked by Brian Zinchuk if he would approve the Keystone XL pipeline. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Brian Zinchuk: Trump won. Let’s build that pipeline, quick!

A remarkable alignment between Trump, the US House and Senate, Danielle Smith, Scott Moe and maybe Pierre Poilievre could make it happen

Also:

Verbatim backgrounder on oil and gas emissions cap

Emissions cap puts methane in spotlight; industry says low-hanging fruit already gone

Maybe TMX won’t be the last pipeline, after all

Drill, Baby, Drill 9 Comments

Enbridge in talks about Mainline pipeline expansion as Canadian oil output grows

Enbridge in talks about Mainline pipeline expansion as Canadian oil output grows

This is very significant, as the enormous cost overruns (6x over initial budget) of the Trans Mountain Expansion seemed to scare off anyone from ever doing a major pipeline in this country again. But that was the federal government running the show.

Historically, Enbridge built a new mainline pipe about every decade. The shot above was Line 3 replacement in 2017. The previous Alberta clipper was 2008-2009. And this new development is very likely so that Enbridge is ready to go with a new Conservative government in place next year. Thoughts?

Also:

Veren intends on spending 15% of its 2025 capital budget in Saskatchewan

SeaRose floating oilfield vessel en route back to Canada after refurbishment: Cenovus

Trevor Rose Podcast: Scott Saxberg

 

On that drill, baby, drill front …

Drill, Baby, Drill 2 Comments
Drilling rig near Lloydminster on Sept. 10. The upgrader is on the horizon. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Sask drilling rig report: Rigs working on oil, potash, helium and lithium

The reality is that to get anywhere close to the oil production numbers Premier Scott Moe would like to see, an increase from 454,000 barrels per day to 600,000, we’d need to double, and likely triple the current number of rigs drilling for oil, which is 32. And even then, that would still be fewer rigs than we had going in 2013.

Drill, baby, drill – in Saskatchewan

Drill, Baby, Drill 8 Comments
Scott Moe.

What a Sask Party win means for energy – seeking to hit 600,000 bpd, and eventually 1 million; nuclear power development, critical minerals.

Does this mean drill, baby, drill? For oil, lithium, and helium – to reach these goals, absolutely.

Also:

Jim Warren: Let the milk flow, but keep the oil in the ground – Quebec’s separatists are now dictating Canadian trade policy

For the past decade, Quebec’s political parties have been arguing over who hates oil and Western conservatives the most along with which party can claim bragging rights for being the best at extorting benefits from the rest of Canada. Jim Warren hits it out of the park, again.

No big war, prices drop:

Oil prices fall as reality of weak global demand overtakes risk of wider war in Middle East

Once you cut gas taxes, you’ll never be able to bring them back. Dumb idea if we want to keep roads.

Ontario government moves to extend 5.7 cent gas tax cut to June 2025

 

Wow…. just… wow…

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 25 Comments

Election 2024: Saskatchewan Green Party wants to transition away from fossil fuels, but have fossil fuels pay for their green agenda

You can’t make this stuff up.

The Saskatchewan Green Party proposes to  “Make Green Jobs the future of Saskatchewan’s economy by transitioning away from fossil fuels,” while financing its extensive socialist policy platform by modelling Norway which applies “a whopping 78 percent total tax” on oil and gas revenues.

Notably, it includes five pages discussing the Greens opposition to small modular reactors. And the policy document closes by saying on the last page, “How do we pay for it? The Saskatchewan Green Party is dedicated to building a prosperous future for our province. It is time to raise royalty rates in the oil & gas sector to levels that truly reflect the value of our resources. We would use Norway as an example. Norway has a 51 percent tax on petroleum-related income, on top of the 27 percent income tax. That amounts to a whopping 78 percent total tax. This is put into a fund to benefit all citizens.”

That page does not list any other major revenue source, or indeed any revenue source at all, other than heavily taxing oil and gas, the same oil and gas earlier in the document the party promises to transition away from. If the party does succeed in “transitioning away from fossil fuels,” (Page 17) it offers no other source of revenue on the “How do we pay for it?” page (Page 61).

 

Saskatchewan election – NDP energy policy

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 21 Comments
Aleana Young

Election 2024: All-of-the-above energy strategy, no changes to royalties: New Democratic Party

This is the third in a series of in-depth interviews with the parties vying for the Saskatchewan election. In it, NDP Energy Critic Aleana Young speaks about the NDP’s all-of-the-above energy strategy.

The greatest threat to nuclear development is not technological or even financial – it’s change in government. This was evident with the Site C Dam in BC, where a new NDP government pumped the brakes, but then ultimately went ahead with it. The NDP in Saskatchewan continue to support nuclear power development, but “we have to get it right.”

As I’ve done with the other parties, I reproduced everything I could find in the party platform related to energy. Well, the terms “oil” “natural gas” “potash” “critical minerals”  “SMR” “nuclear” or “electricity” are not referenced within the document. But “healthcare” comes up 35 times.

Friday will be the Buffalo Party. So far, I have not heard from the Greens, PCs or Progressives. Wonder why? Is anyone else writing 3200 word stories on their energy policies?

On a side note, I attended a three hour long Estevan city council/mayor town hall this evening. It took 2 hours and 25 minutes before anyone made any serious comments about coal. That was right before I got my chance to ask about dealing with the impending eventual shut down of coal-fired power generation, but also preparing the city for nuclear power. Amazingly, about half of the 13 people on stage really had no substantive answer on that front, and several had no clue or hadn’t thought of it. You would think that would be the most important issue facing this city – much more important than sidewalks or boulevard flowers (which got more discussion up until that point than coal or nuclear). Especially since the nuclear built out will be the most costly infrastructure project in Saskatchewan history to date. (If I attend a forum like this, you can be damned sure I’m going to ask the toughest questions.)

Weird things have been happening in Alberta

Climate Cult 33 Comments

Brian Zinchuk: Too much wind, not enough wind? What’s going on in Alberta?

Weird things have been happening in Alberta’s electrical grid over the last week. Interties to BC and Montana are down due to maintenance. Many hours have seen zero dollars paid for power. Wind and solar have been in such surplus numerous facilities have shut down at times to clear the glut. The grid frequency has had numerous variances, including “due to sudden variability of renewables.” Is the Alberta grid pushing the limits of how much wind and solar it can take?

Big win in Saskatchewan

Drill, Baby, Drill No Comments
Drilling rig near Lloydminster on Sept. 10. The upgrader is on the horizon. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

Multilateral well program proving a big win in Lloydminster area and SE Sask

My intention coming out of the Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show last week was to see if the multilateral well program, announced in last spring’s budget, was a success and making an impact. After all, it was the biggest change in the royalty structure in decades. Well, it was. Here’s my story on that.

This is a big deal for the Saskatchewan oilpatch. And remember, oil and gas is the No. 1 contributor to Saskatchewan’s GDP, surpassing even agriculture, if you can believe it.

 

Fight for free speech

Climate Cult Drill, Baby, Drill 1 Comment

Bill C-59 has not gone away. Pipeline Online editor Brian Zinchuk and energy advocate Deidra Garyk appear on the Patchwork Podcast to discuss its implications on free speech and Canadian society. This occurred at the Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show on Sept. 12.

Meanwhile, south of the border:

Federal judge temporarily blocks Biden administration rule to limit flaring of gas at oil wells

Also, getting really into the weeds of overseas gas production:

Op-Ed: Kaase Gbakon: Strategic Gas Infrastructure: The Gulf of Guinea Pipeline and Equatorial Guinea’s Mega Hub Vision

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