Oilsands ‘not much dirtier’

Came across this recent article stating that a recent study finds carbon emissions aren’t extreme. It's an interesting read.

CALGARY — A new report that compares greenhouse gas emissions of domestic and imported crude oils refined in the United States concludes that Canadian oilsands are not much dirtier than competing types of oil.

Eddy Isaacs, managing director of the Alberta-government-created Alberta Energy Research Institute, said one constant of all crudes is that 75 per cent of emissions come when the resulting gasoline is burned in a vehicle.

“What we’re arguing about is the next 25 per cent,” he said, speaking at an investor symposium in Calgary yesterday.

Based on a report by the Jacobs Consultancy to be released at the end of June, Isaacs said the best performance among oil imports to the U.S. came from Saudi Arabian light crudes. He said it rated 98 grams of carbon emissions equivalent per megajoule of gasoline.

U.S. Gulf Coast crudes were rated at about 104 and California thermal-sourced heavy crudes were at 113.4.

Synthetic crude from oilsands tapped using thermal SAGD (steam-assisted gravity drainage) wells rated at 116.1, the highest in the survey due to higher energy use. But the SAGD product that was diluted before being piped to the refinery rated just 102.1 per cent.

Mined synthetic oilsands crude was rated 108.2 and SAGD bitumen rated 111.

“What you see is that there is a range, but it’s not as dramatic as what people have made it out to be,” Isaacs said.

The ratings are based on production, transportation and geological factors, including the depth at which the resource is found.

Isaacs said the impact of oilsands crude will be reduced further if project builders are given credit for co-generation power facilities that replace coalfired plants, as is done in California.

Simon Dyer, oilsands director for the Pembina Institute, said the report doesn’t address the central issues connected with rising levels of emissions.

“It’s true that the average barrel in the U.S. is getting heavier, but the oilsands are still contributing to a problem that is increasing greenhouse gas emissions, not decreasing gas emissions,” he said.

American environmentalists and some U.S. politicians have savaged the oilsands, calling the product “dirty oil.”

Alberta Energy spokesman Bob McManus said the study will be used by the government to reinforce its message when meeting with U.S. lawmakers.

“It’s part of the message that we need to take to our trading partners,” he said.

# 18 Jun 2009
# Times Colonist
# DAN HEALING
# Canwest News Service