September | 2011 | The Price of Oil

Posts in September 2011

Myth or Miracle? Are Keystone XL jobs and energy security claims exaggerated?
Lorne Stockman
Sep29
To hear some people talk about it, Keystone XL is the answer to many of America’s current woes. It will free America of the scourge of foreign oil dependence, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, weaken the enemies that threaten the union, and bring on the good times once again. While the good times may…
Continue reading ‘Myth or Miracle? Are Keystone XL jobs and energy security claims exaggerated?’.
The Flaring Scandal that Shames the US
Andy Rowell
Sep28
Twenty years ago, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was then largely unknown in the west either as an environmental activist or writer, started touring the capitals of Europe to drum up support for the Ogoni campaign against the oil giant Shell. Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni had many issues with Shell – the fact that they had received…
Continue reading ‘The Flaring Scandal that Shames the US’.
Britain Backs Canada Over Tar Sands Fight
Andy Rowell
Sep27
On a warm summer evening in July this year, in the prestigious and ornate College Garden of Britain’s historic Westminster Abbey, 250 guests listened to a five-piece band. The music was the start of an inaugural summer party organised by the public relations company Hanover Communications. The guest list for the party was impressive, including…
Continue reading ‘Britain Backs Canada Over Tar Sands Fight’.
$Freedom-fracking-protest$
“It’s a pie in the sky” number
Andy Rowell
Sep26
On Wednesday last week, the hype that has surrounding fracking in the US finally arrived in the UK. The energy firm Cuadrilla, which has been drilling wells in the North West of the country under Lancashire, announced a “huge find” of gas. Cuadrilla announced that that its tests showed there could be as much as…
Continue reading ‘“It’s a pie in the sky” number’.
Saudis Slam “EthicalOil” Tar Sands Advert
Andy Rowell
Sep21
I’m continuing this week’s tar sands theme. There seems to be no limits to how many people the Canadians will annoy in their attempt to impose the dirty tar sands on the world’s oil markets. There is also no limit to their hypocrisy either. We know the Canadians are using strong-arm tactics to threaten the…
Continue reading ‘Saudis Slam “EthicalOil” Tar Sands Advert’.
Keystone XL: Its Not Jobs Versus Ideology
Andy Rowell
Sep20
As the decision day for the Keystone XL pipeline draws ever nearer, the amount of rubbish being written by its proponents grows ever greater. Yesterday an article in the Vancouver Sun basically said the argument was very simple: it was jobs versus ideology. The article stated: “will human employment and corporate revenue eventually prevail over…
Continue reading ‘Keystone XL: Its Not Jobs Versus Ideology’.
Chinese Increase Investment in Tar Sands
Andy Rowell
Sep19
In its “Energy Outlook” for last month, the global investment bank Goldman Sachs argued that “China remains the key growth driver” for worldwide oil demand. One of the key questions for the past decade for many in the oil-game has been where China, this vast emerging super-power, is getting access to its oil and will…
Continue reading ‘Chinese Increase Investment in Tar Sands’.
Gov Report into Deepwater “Spreads Blame”
Andy Rowell
Sep14
After numerous delays, and even the departure of a lead investigator, later today the US government is expected to release the report into last year’s Deepwater Horizon disaster that has been undertaken by the Coast Guard and the Agency responsible for regulating offshore drilling. According to the Wall Street Journal, the federal investigation into the…
Continue reading ‘Gov Report into Deepwater “Spreads Blame”’.
Cairn Suffers Another Greenland Setback
Andy Rowell
Sep13
In the rush for the Arctic, Cairn Energy is currently the environmental villain of the moment. Despite the disastrous risks of a spill and a clearly inadequate spill response plan, the company is leading the way in drilling off Greenland. As I blogged last week, a spill in the region could be catastrophic, and Cairn…
Continue reading ‘Cairn Suffers Another Greenland Setback’.
Comeback Kid Hayward Severs Final Link With BP
Andy Rowell
Sep12
Finally after 29 years, Tony Hayward, the former chief executive of BP, will sever all his ties with the oil giant. Although he resigned from being Chief Executive last year in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Hayward has remained on board of its Russian joint venture, TNK-BP. But it has announced that he…
Continue reading ‘Comeback Kid Hayward Severs Final Link With BP’.