Dear sir,
With regard to your April 20 front page article - Cullen comments draw scathing response - please note the following Mythbusters:
Myth #1
“Kinsley pointed out there hadn’t been a spill in a Canadian regulated pipeline for more than 20 years because the steel used is made differently, the construction process is different as are the inspection regimes.”
Really?
According to the CBC, “In August 2000, a pipeline owned by Pembina Pipelines ruptured in BC, spilling about 6,200 barrels of light crude oil into the Pine River, about 110 kilometres upstream of the community of Chetwynd.
The Pine River flows into Alberta’s Peace River.
The company was charged by Environment Canada and was eventually fined $5,000 and ordered to pay $198,000 to repair damaged fish habitat.”
And Oilweek June 16, 2008: “RED DEER, Alta. - Emergency crews are working to clean up a leak from an oil pipeline under the Red Deer River in central Alberta that left an oily sheen on a popular resort and boating lake.
The leak was discovered about 10:30 p.m. Sunday in a section of pipe underneath the river about five kilometres north of the town of Sundre. Between 75 and 125 barrels of oil escaped before the pipeline was shut down.”
Myth #2
“As for Cullen’s suggestion oil sands bitumen exported to the US is, after refining, exported, Kinsley’s response was, ‘Is he dreaming? The United States doesn’t export any oil, they import it from Venezuela, Iran, Iraq.”
Really?
From the Energy Bulletin of May 19, 2010: “Oil produced from tar sands is generally consumed only in Canada and the USA, but public concern in Europe has been growing, particularly around the financial links between European financial institutions and the tar sands industry.
Greenpeace can now reveal that petroleum products containing tar sands crude oil have been regularly entering the EU’s petroleum supply chain for some time, primarily through imports of diesel from the US Gulf Coast (USGC).
A significant rise in the trade in diesel fuel between the USGC and the EU since 2008 is likely to continue to provide crucial support for the struggling refinery industry in the region. The trade is supported by a structural diesel deficit in the EU market and a similar surplus in the US.”
Myth #3
“He (Kinsley) pointed out that Canadian bitumen upgraders and conventional crude refineries supplied all of Canada’s needs so there was no domestic demand beyond that.”
Really?
From StatsCan we learn that “Domestic crude accounts for only about 45 per cent of Canada’s oil consumption. Imports represented the remaining 55 per cent, mostly coming from either North Sea countries or the Middle East. Imported oil feeds refineries mostly in Eastern Canada.”
Mr. Kinsley, you’re fired!
Margaret Ouwehand,
Kitimat.