Energy Tomorrow Blog

Don't Mess with Texas

climate bill  cra international  domestic energy  energy  energy policy  over regulation  texas  waxman-markey 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 17, 2009

As the Senate will soon debate its version of a climate change bill, last Friday, a CRA International analysis of the "American Clean Energy and Security Act"--which passed by a narrow 219-212 House vote in June--reveals the devastating impact the legislation would have on Texans. 

More »

Rally for Jobs and Affordable Energy!

climate bill  domestic energy  energy  energy citizens  rally  waxman-markey 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 14, 2009

A lot of reporters and bloggers have been jumping to conclusions about the rallies being organized in the next couple of weeks. Some have written that we're "taking a cue" from the health care opponents who've been attending town hall meetings across the country. Others are accusing us of Astroturfing. Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

More »

Blogger Conference Call on Oil Sands

canada  domestic energy  energy  energy development  oil sands 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 14, 2009

Yesterday, API hosted bloggers for a conference call featuring Robert Renner, Alberta Minister of the Environment. Minister Renner was available to take questions about Canada's oil sands from the bloggers who recently toured ConocoPhillips and Syncrude operations in Alberta. 

More »

12,000 Feet Under the Sea

chevron  domestic energy  domestic resources  drillship  energy  gulf of mexico  offshore drilling  technology  technology innovation 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 14, 2009

Yesterday, Chevron U.S.A. Inc. announced that the Discoverer Clear Leader--an ultra-deepwater drillship newly built to Chevron's specifications--has begun work in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico, allowing Chevron to expand its search for new domestic sources of energy. 

More »

Another Forecast of Climate Bill Costs

accf  climate bill  energy  energy legislation  energy policy  over regulation  waxman-markey 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 13, 2009

Yesterday, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF) released a study--Economic Impact of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act--that again demonstrates the significant costs associated with this House-approved legislation. The Senate will soon take up similar legislation that could have a profound impact on Americans' everyday lives, especially if it resembles this version. 

More »

Oil Sands Facts Not Often Disclosed

alberta  canadian oil sands  domestic energy  energy  energy development  oil sands  technology innovation 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 13, 2009

During the past several days, I've written extensively about Canada's oil sands, how they are produced, and the environmental programs that convert the disturbed land into meadows, forests and lakes. Today, in my final post about last week's oil sands tour, I want to provide you with some basic facts that often don't appear in news articles about oil sands development. 

More »

Where the Buffalo Roam

alberta  canadian oil sands  domestic energy  energy  energy development  natural gas  oil sands  technology innovation 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 12, 2009

So you mine the oil sands, extract the oil, reclaim the land--and then what do you do? At the Syncrude oil sands operation in Alberta, you start a bison ranch--wood bison, to be specific. 

More »

Did You Know? Dial Before You Dig

colonial pipeline  energy  energy iq 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 11, 2009

Did you know that today is National 811 Day? It's a date set aside by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) to promote awareness of underground utilities through the use of the nationwide "811" call-in number for individuals, companies and governments preparing to dig. 

More »

Bitumen Production via Steam

alberta  canadian oil sands  domestic energy  energy  energy development  oil sands  technology innovation 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 11, 2009

Day Two of the oil sands tour, August 7 - About 60 kilometers southeast of Ft. McMurray, Alberta, ConocoPhillips is producing crude oil from oil sands using a process called in-situ development. In concept, in-situ development sounds fairly simple. The oil sands are heated underground with steam, gravity pulls the hot oil down toward a wellbore, and the oil is brought to the surface.

More »

Harvesting Oil Sands

alberta  canadian oil sands  domestic energy  energy  energy development  oil sands  technology innovation 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 10, 2009

Day one of the oil sands tour, Aug. 6 - We're standing in a quarry where a steady stream of 380-ton to 400-ton, multi-story vehicles roll in and out, accepting loads of oil sands. As soon as one vehicle is loaded, another one takes its place next to the huge shovel that scrapes the oil sands from the black, sandy quarry wall. 

More »