Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 4, 2014

Results from a new modeling assessment of contamination in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) suggest that officially reported emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in that region have been greatly underestimated. Accounting for evaporative emissions (e.g., Average emissions densities from Shen et al.

Oil-Sands 220

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions Pollution 220

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 15, 2010

Examples of emerging oil sands related technologies and trade-offs. The paper is an examination of how various choices about the scale of the life cycle analysis applied to oil sands (i.e., The source material is neither oil nor tar but bitumen, but is most generally described as an example of ultraheavy oil.”.

Oil-Sands 225

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions Coal 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

The carbon intensity (CI) of Alberta oil sands production has significantly decreased over the last 40 years, according to a new study by a team from Stanford University published as an open access paper in the journal Environmental Research Letters. Trends in well-to-wheel pathway-specific CI. Click to enlarge. Englander et al.

Oil-Sands 210

Oil-Sands Oil Carbon Production 210

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 29, 2012

The report provides nine different Tailings Technology Deployment (TDD) Roadmaps to accelerate the implementation of oil sands tailings solutions in Alberta. After oil sands ore is excavated from the ground (surface mining operations, not in situ production), warm water is added to wash the bitumen off the. sand and clay.

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Oil Canada Water 199

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 18, 2012

The new science-based agency will begin work in the oil sands region and will focus on what is monitored, how it’s monitored and where it’s monitored. A management board named by Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Minister Diana McQueen will immediately begin work to set up the new agency.

Oil-Sands 218

Oil-Sands Oil Canada Water 218

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 8, 2009

A study by researchers in Canada and the US shows that oil sands development is a greater source of polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) contamination to the Athabasca River and its tributaries than previously realized. Bitumen production in the Alberta oil sands has increased rapidly, rising from 482,000 to 1.3

Oil-Sands 220

Oil-Sands Oil 2008 Industrial 220

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 7, 2009

Microbiologists from the University of Essex, UK are exploring the use of microbes to break down and remove toxic compounds from heavy crude and oil sands. These acidic compounds persist in the environment, taking up to 10 years to break down. This water is contained in large settling or tailing ponds. Richard Johnson.

Oil-Sands 210

Oil-Sands Oil Clean Cleaning 210

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 13, 2013

A comprehensive environmental field study to gather information on air contaminants in the Wood Buffalo region in northeast Alberta, Canada (home to major oil sands projects) will occur from 12 August to mid-September 2013. Evaluate high-resolution air quality models for use in the oil sands region. Earlier post.).

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Canada Oil Pollution 199

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 28, 2011

Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. AOSC) announced that the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and Alberta Environment and Water has issued full regulatory approval for the MacKay River commercial oil sands project to MacKay Operating Corp. Earlier post.) ( Earlier post.)

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Oil Commercial Companies 199

Green Car Congress

MARCH 17, 2011

A team from the University of Plymouth (UK) and Environment Canada has identified, for the first time, individual soluble naphthenic acids (NA) in the process water resulting from the oil sands industry in Canada. Frank (2011) Diamonds in the Rough: Identification of Individual Naphthenic Acids in Oil Sands Process Water.

Oil-Sands 186

Oil-Sands Water Oil Canada 186

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 26, 2011

JAPEX), will postpone making a final investment decision (FID) for the Hangingstone Oil Sands Expansion Project ( earlier post ) in Alberta Province, Canada, based on a longer-than-expected approval process with the Alberta authorities. Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., operations by more than 300%.

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Oil Canada Japan 199

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 1, 2010

Shell submitted the application on behalf of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project, a joint venture among Shell Canada Energy (60%) Chevron Canada Limited (20%) and Marathon Oil Canada Corporation (20%). The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) is the primary regulatory agency for the project.

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Oil Carbon Chevron 199

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 3, 2012

Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. has exercised its option to divest its 40% interest in the MacKay River oil sands project to Cretaceous Oilsands Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of PetroChina International Investment Limited, for C$680 million (US$672 million) in cash. Earlier post.) Earlier post.). Earlier post.).

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Oil-Sands Oil 2010 2012 170

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 5, 2011

US-based Devon Energy Corporation has received regulatory approval from the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and Alberta Environment and Water to move forward with the company’s third oil sands project in Canada. Devon expects to deploy approximately $1.3 billion of capital on Jackfish 3 through startup.

Oil-Sands 170

Oil-Sands Oil Energy Water 170

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 27, 2011

a Canadian integrated oil company, reported an increase in third quarter crude oil production year-on-year of about 4% due to oil sands production that was 14% higher compared with the same period a year earlier. Conventional oil production slightly declined due to a combination of factors. Cenovus Energy Inc.,

Oil-Sands 210

Oil-Sands Oil Production 2010 210

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2011

Proposed anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation pathways in oil sands tailings. The researchers now report that higher molecular weight n -alkanes (C 14 , C 16 , and C 18 ) are also degraded under methanogenic conditions in oil sands tailings, albeit after a lengthy lag (180 days) before the onset of methanogenesis.

Oil-Sands 186

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions Canada 186

Green Car Congress

MAY 24, 2009

Oil sands supply chain. A new report from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)— The Canadian Oil Sands: Energy Security vs Climate Change — claims that prudent greenhouse gas regulations can limit emissions from Canadian oil sands while still enabling robust development of the energy resource.

Oil-Sands 150

Oil-Sands Climate Change Oil Climate 150

Green Car Congress

MARCH 29, 2012

The PEIS describes and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of G&G survey activities in Federal waters of the Mid- and South Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and adjacent State waters for three program areas (oil and gas, renewable energy, and marine minerals) during the 2012-2020 time period. Savannah, Ga.; Charleston, S.C;

Oil-Sands 210

Oil-Sands Energy Jacksonville Oil 210

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2015

A team at the University of Calgary (Canada) has compared the energy intensities and lifecycle GHG emissions of unconventional oils (oil sands and oil shale) alongside shale gas, coal, lignite, wood and conventional oil and gas. This is not the same as crude oil occurring naturally in shales, as in the Bakken.

Oil-Sands 150

Oil-Sands Oil Energy Fuel 150

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 2, 2011

Researchers from Tianjin University and the National Engineering Research Centre for Distillation Technology, Tianjin, China, report on the use of an ionic liquid (IL) with low viscosity to enhance bitumen recovery from oil sands by solvent extraction while reducing adverse impacts in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.

Oil-Sands 170

Oil-Sands Water Oil Sodium 170

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 26, 2011

Researchers at the Universities of Calgary and Alberta are collaborating on a project for the microbial remediation of oil sands tailings—the waste byproducts of oil sands surface mining that are collected in large manufactured settling basins called tailing ponds. —Golby et al. m below the surface.

Oil-Sands 244

Oil-Sands Oil Environment Water 244

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 24, 2012

The region includes a substantial portion of the Athabasca oil sands area, which contains approximately 82% of the province’s oil sands resource and much of the Cold Lake oil sands area. LARP is a major component of the province’s efforts to advance resource stewardship. —LARP.

Oil-Sands 250

Oil-Sands Oil Water Canada 250

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 18, 2013

m 3 (337,004 gallons US) total bitumen emulsion has been recovered from the ongoing bitumen upwelling at four sites in Canadian Natural Resources Limited’s Primrose project. HPCSS has been used in oil recovery in Alberta for more than 30 years, AER noted. The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) reports that 1,275.7 2009 incident.

2009 329

2009 Oil-Sands Water Oil 329

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 26, 2014

When it takes up to four million pounds of sand to frack a single well, it’s no wonder that demand is outpacing supply and frack sand producers are becoming the biggest behind-the-scenes beneficiaries of the American oil and gas boom. Pioneer Natural Resources Inc.

Oil-Sands 262

Oil-Sands Arkansas Oil Mariner 262

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 23, 2009

In the US, producing one gallon of ethanol from switchgrass consumes approximately the same net amount of water as does producing a gallon of gasoline from conventional crude or oil sands oil, according to a study by Argonne National Laboratory researchers presented at the 238 th national meeting of the American Chemical Society last week.

Water 292

Water Gasoline Oil-Sands Production 292

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 6, 2011

Increasing crude processing intensity and energy intensity with worsening oil quality. OQ: Crude feed oil quality. Switching to heavy crude oil and synthetic crude oil derived from oil sands bitumen in refineries could double or triple refinery emissions and add 1.6-3.7 PI: Crude processing intensity.

Oil 287

Oil Oil-Sands Emissions Hydrogen 287

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 22, 2014

The grant, one of the largest ever awarded to the university, will allow researchers to advance the scientific understanding of naturally occurring methane hydrate so that its resource potential and environmental implications can be fully understood. Accordingly, other countries with high energy demands or limited resources—e.g.

Mexico 294

Mexico Austin Oil-Sands Mariner 294

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 27, 2013

Based on the interim results of a new study, MIT researchers are warning smaller nations to proceed with caution in pursuing the development of their natural gas resources. While natural gas is often cheaper than oil and gives off fewer emissions, developing the resource comes with risks, especially for smaller nations.

Cyprus 261

Cyprus MIT Gas Gas-Electric 261

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

Flowback water treatment is a critical sustainability issue for the oil and gas industry. One to five million gallons of water mixed with sand and chemicals are required for the fracking of each well. Using biochar could help oil and gas companies save money and responsibly treat flowback water for reuse.

Water 257

Water Low Cost Oil-Sands San Antonio 257

Green Car Congress

JUNE 5, 2010

Additional resources of approximately C$1.2M For dewatering the company has agreements in place with two technology providers and, through inVentures, has access to an organic sieve technology for removing water from the algae oil. In parallel, scientists are also working to develop technology to effectively extract the oil.

Canada 286

Canada Oil-Sands Mariner Oil 286

Green Car Congress

APRIL 18, 2012

USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources of the world. These new estimates are for conventional oil and gas resources only. These estimates include resources beneath both onshore and offshore areas.

Oil 218

Oil Oil-Sands Gas Global 218

Green Car Congress

APRIL 26, 2010

However, the organizations point out in their letter , in developing a methodology for calculating emissions from fuel, the Commission has proposed setting just one default emissions value for oil-derived gasoline and one for diesel. Letter to Commissioner Hedegaard.

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Fuel Canada Oil 199

Green Car Congress

JUNE 1, 2013

Northern Gateway’s West line, 36 inches in diameter, would transport an average of 525,000 barrels of oil sands crude per day to Kitimat. The provincial government has established, and maintains, strict conditions in order for British Columbia to consider the construction and operation of heavy-oil pipelines in the province.

Oil-Sands 199

Oil-Sands Oil Grant Legal 199

Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2011

Chevron’s focus on optimizing the thermal management of the Kern River field has resulted in a steady drop in the steam:oil ratio (barrels steam water per barrel oil), resulting in improved economics of the field even with slowly declining production. Data: California DOGGR. Click to enlarge. Source: Chevron. Click to enlarge.

Chevron 244

Chevron Oil Oil-Sands Production 244

Green Car Congress

MAY 2, 2010

Readily available reserves of oil and gas are sufficient to take atmospheric CO 2 to at least 400 ppm. Oil and gas are such convenient fuels, and the world has developed such a strong dependence on them, that it is very likely that the large readily available pools of these fuels will be exploited. Kharecha et al. Kharecha, Charles F.

Coal 239

Coal Emissions Oil-Sands Climate Change 239

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 17, 2011

times as energy intensive to produce as conventional diesel, which restricts the current financial and environmental feasibility of algae production, according to a new life cycle analysis by a team from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford. Energy Environ. tons/ha/year). They noted that an EBR of 1.2

Oil-Sands 236

Oil-Sands Production Grid Saudi Arabia 236

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 12, 2014

Results of a Rice University laboratory study suggests that using foam may maximize enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Oil resides in formations of rock and sand in small cracks and crevices that have proved devilishly difficult to tap. Drillers pump various substances downhole to loosen and either push or carry oil to the surface.

Oil 218

Oil United Arab Emirates Universal Oil-Sands 218