1754 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

I thought there was a massive shortage.

 

There was but countries stocked up on supplies, switched suppliers, changed fuel in some cases (for example:  saved heating gas, by using other fuels to generate electricity), put in some savings incentives (the high cost in the fall did this on its own too, as markets will and are designed to do), and yes finally got some luck with a mild winter.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 February 2023 - 04:48 PM.

[Matt R.]

Whew. Glad that’s over.

[Victoria Watcher]

Whew. Glad that’s over.

 

Indeed.  And in the ensuing time, come countries have been able to increase their storage capacity to make sure next season is OK.

 

Some underground storage facilities that were not previously in use have been reactivated.  These are facilities that are less efficient (ie. they "leak" but can be used).  They are usually depleted former gas producing wells.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 February 2023 - 05:34 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The B.C. dockworkers’ union wants the federal government to block the $3.5-billion Roberts Bank container port project to protect members’ jobs.

 

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union says the port expansion will introduce technology and automation and set the stage for job losses at other West Coast ports.

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....port-expansion/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 February 2023 - 01:08 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The estimated cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has increased once again, this time to $30.9 billion.

 

That's the latest figure from Trans Mountain Corp., the federal Crown corporation that owns the pipeline. On Friday, Trans Mountain Corp. blamed the latest cost overruns on a number of factors, including inflation, labour and supply chain challenges, flooding in B.C. and unexpected major archeological discoveries along the route.

 

The new price tag is a 44 per cent increase from the $21.4 billion cost projection placed on the pipeline expansion project a year ago, and more than double an earlier estimate of $12.6 billion. 

 

Previous cost increases were blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic, scheduling pressures related to permitting processes, and route changes to avoid culturally and environmentally sensitive areas, among other things.

 

“Canada has among the world’s highest standards for the protection of people, the environment, and Indigenous participation when building major infrastructure projects," said Trans Mountain Corp. CEO Dawn Farrell in a news release Friday.

 

 

https://www.timescol...to-309b-6682322

[Victoria Watcher]

A $3-billion floating liquefied natural gas plant that the Haisla First Nation and Pembina Pipelines (TSX:PPL) plan to build in Kitimat, B.C., got the green light from the provincial government Tuesday.

 

The project completed an environmental review in mid-November under a provincial-federal substitution process, with the BC Environmental Assessment Office conducting the review.

 

The Cedar LNG project will be the first LNG plant to be built and owned by a First Nation. The Haisla's industry partner is Pembina Pipelines.

 

https://www.timescol...ernment-6697881

 

The project is being designed as a floating LNG terminal, which has a relatively small land footprint, and as it will be largely powered by clean hydro electricity, it will also have a comparatively small carbon footprint.

 

 

 

 

 

The project is being designed as a floating LNG terminal, which has a relatively small land footprint, and as it will be largely powered by clean hydro electricity, it will also have a comparatively small carbon footprint.

 

 

Look, I'm obviously all in favour.  But it takes some heavy mental gymnastics to get to that conclusion above.

 

Yes, we will use hydro power to chill/compress the gas to load onto ships.  When it is using that power, we will be selling less electricity to some other jurisdiction, so that jurisdiction will be burning coal or gas to make their electricity.

 

And of course, when that gas gets to Asia or wherever it's going, they will burn it.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 March 2023 - 03:57 PM.

[Nparker]

#environmentalhypocrisy

[Mike K.]

Natural gas rates are falling sharply, as electricity rates are set to rise, and gas prices continues to rise:

 

FortisBC Energy Inc. (FortisBC) has received approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to decrease the cost of gas rates for all of its customers until June 30, 2023. As of April 1, the cost of gas rate will decrease by $1.00 from $5.159 per gigajoule (GJ) to $4.159 for all customers.

 

“The cost of gas rate decrease will undoubtedly be welcomed and provide some relief to our customers on their gas bills especially at a time when other living expenses are high,” said Joe Mazza, vice-president, energy supply and resource development at FortisBC. “Even with the cost of gas decreasing, we understand energy costs are an important consideration in household budgets and we are always here to support our customers if they need it.”

 

For residential customers in Mainland and Vancouver Island (including North and South Interior, Whistler and Revelstoke), average monthly bills are expected to decrease by approximately $7.50 or seven per cent. This is based on an average household consumption of approximately 90 GJ per year.

 

For Fort Nelson customers, average monthly bills are expected to decrease by approximately $10.40 or nine per cent. This is based on an average household consumption of approximately 125 GJ per year.

 

FortisBC acquires natural gas at market-based prices and factors like supply and demand and economic conditions affect the price of natural gas in North America. FortisBC flows the cost of gas directly through to its customers, so customers pay what FortisBC pays for the natural gas itself.

 

For more information about rates and the components that make up a FortisBC gas bill, visit: fortisbc.com/rates.

[Nparker]

Damn! Just as I got rid of all my gas-powered lighting.

[Victoria Watcher]

I bought a few hundred empty propane bottles when the price was low, and pressure filled them each with natural gas. So I’m just getting to the end of that now. In time to stock up again.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 March 2023 - 08:21 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I bought a few hundred empty propane bottles when the price was low, and pressure filled them each with natural gas. So I’m just getting to the end of that now. In time to stock up again.

 

 

Video captures moment propane tank explodes in tent in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

 

Several explosions are heard in videos.

 

https://www.timescol...astside-6728812

 

 

 

 

 

Why would you store propane in propane tanks?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 March 2023 - 03:21 PM.

[LJ]

I don't know who the author is...

 

" My fellow Canadians, you are buying into a lie regarding our energy industry and the global environment. We are a mere 35 million people, just 0.5% of this planet's 7.3 billion population.

Our country covers roughly 10 million square kilometres of which probably 90% is realistically uninhabitable (explaining why over 80% of our population live in urban centres within 200 km of the U.S. border)

We endure temperature extremes ranging from -40C or colder to 35C or warmer. Out of necessity we need to heat our homes for 6+ months the year. We face major transportation challenges simply because of the geography of our country.

Yet, through all this we are responsible for less than 0.5% of the pollution generated globally. We ARE NOT the problem! If every one of us here in Canada chose to sacrifice ourselves for the betterment of mother earth and self terminated, the positive effect on the global environment would be.....drum roll please......zero!

The global effect would actually be negative because we are one of the most ethical, environmentally responsible producers of energy in the world!

If we were out of the picture the U.S. would be mining our oil sands before our corpses had even started giving off methane gas. They would then proceed to build the biggest pipeline imaginable, from Fort Mac to Texas.

Don't believe me? Lets look at some facts. The U.S. has no problem with pipelines, U.S. pipelines that is. They actually have over 3.2 'million' kilometres of liquid petroleum and natural gas pipelines already. There's also the 1300 kilometre, 122cm (48 inch) line running from Prudhoe Bay to the Valdez Marine Terminal (yes, big bad oil tankers). You are aware, aren't you, of the Trans Alaskan pipeline running directly through the pristine heart of that beautiful state? As of 2010 - 16 'BILLION' Barrels of oil had been transported through this U.S. pipeline and terminal.

The U.S. also has no problem drilling for oil in the Atlantic ocean, the Pacific ocean, the Arctic ocean or the Gulf of Mexico yet they have the audacity to condemn Canada for mining our oil sands in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan?

The opposition to our Canadian energy development is a well organized attempt to keep our Canadian oil land locked so that we are forced to sell to the U.S. and to the U.S. only and then at a very discounted price. The U.S. is attempting and succeeding in preventing us from marketing our own natural resources globally to the highest bidder. U.S. foundations (HP, Tides, et al) are funding the opposition to our oil sands and contrary to popular belief it has absolutely nothing to do with threats to the environment.

If they really were that concerned about our planet why are they not protesting the real polluters, the real threats to our environment? China, the world's worst polluter (besides having a tragic human rights record)? No protests. Why isn't Suzuki over in Bejing chastising Jinping? What about the other major polluters? Russia? The U.S. themselves? India?

I can understand a Canadian that is benefiting financially, who is receiving grants to oppose or protest or hamstring our own resource development. What I can't understand is the rest of my fellow Canadians buying into their bovine excrement.

In the oil sands, our very own Canadian oil sands, we have the 3rd largest proven crude oil reserve in the world, behind only Saudia Arabia and Venezuela (again, both with 'stellar' human rights track records....)

EVERY person in Canada, and EVERY province and territory in Canada has benefited tremendously, whether directly, indirectly or both from our oil sands development. Over the next 25 years the oil sands has the potential to generate over $1.5 TRILLION in federal and provincial taxes and royalties. There is the potential for well over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.

So here's the deal my fellow Canadians. I fear our Canadian 'goose that lays the golden egg' is suffering the death by a thousand cuts. Alas, it may already be too late. Maybe it's already on life support. If you share the view's of the Gore's, the Suzuki's, and the Obama's of the world, that our Canadian energy producers and those that work in this industry are bad and evil and a scourge on the earth, a blight on Canada's reputation in the global community then fine, stick your fork into the goose as well but please do not whine and complain 10 or 15 years down the road when the wait time for your hip replacement is 3-5 years because our health care system is underfunded and there's a severe shortage of doctors and nurses in the system. Meanwhile the Suzukis and their ilk will be flying down to the Mayo clinic in a big bad fossil fuel burning jet for their medical needs.

Don't whine and complain when your grandchild's class has a 50:1 student to teacher ratio because our education system is underfunded and the government coffers are bare. Of course the Suzuki grandchildren will be in private schools so no problem there.

Don't whine and complain when your city's infrastructure is decaying and falling apart and there's no money to repair it.

Instead of whining and complaining make sure you look into the mirror and realize you believed a lie that has cost this incredible country and our future generations an amazing opportunity to prosper and succeed globally

[Nparker]

...What I can't understand is the rest of my fellow Canadians buying into their bovine excrement...

32.6% of Canadian voters chose to re-elect bovine excrement in September 2021.

[Victoria Watcher]

European countries risk wasting huge sums of money on gas import infrastructure they won't need after “panicking” in response to Russia’s pipeline shutoffs, expert analysts warned.

 

In a rush to find alternative sources of gas after Russia’s Gazprom began limiting Europe’s vital pipeline imports, many European countries — and Germany in particular — fast-tracked plans for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure to bring in supplies by sea from the United States, Qatar and elsewhere.

 

But according to a new analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), shared with POLITICO, European countries may have hugely overshot the mark, with current planned import capacity far exceeding likely LNG demand by 2030.

 

 

https://www.politico...ty-expert-warn/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 March 2023 - 02:30 AM.

[Mike K.]

Thanks to a mild winter.

[Victoria Watcher]

This winter in Europe only averaged 1.4 degrees higher than normal.

 

Innovation worked.  Humans usually figured it out.  No crisis lasts, except the ones we make up.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 March 2023 - 04:46 AM.

[Mike K.]

Isn’t that a massive overall difference, according to experts? The world ends as we know it at 1.5C, doesn’t it?

[Victoria Watcher]

Hundreds of lodge workers in Fort McMurray face termination after rejecting pay cut, union says


https://www.cbc.ca/n...ation-1.6819111



That’s an article about wages that neither tells us the current wages or the size of the proposed cuts.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 April 2023 - 03:14 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I mean that’s kind of important to the story, no?

If the average hourly wage is $50 and the company wants to roll it back to $48 it doesn’t seem so newsworthy. But why not tell us?

Anyway, top wage is around $33 for a lead cook. The company wants to scale back about $6 from that. I had to find other articles to learn this.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 April 2023 - 06:29 AM.

[Matt R.]

Awful.