1. The single most important issue that has not been discussed anywhere is that this pipeline is a private project, using private investment for a private purpose. Who the Fu** died and made Obama King and told him he had the power to forbid it? We have always known that environmental regulation had the capability to obstruct things like this to death, but for a President to unilaterally kill it in the land of the free and the home of the brave is mind boggling.
2. This picture shows a guy in a Polar bear suit.
The XL pipeline will be built over 1000 miles from the nearest polar bear (not counting those in zoos). This is a stupid argument from a stupid, ignorant person.
3. This picture shows a graphic of the existing pipeline and the proposed route for the new one.
Notice the words “EXISTING” in that sentence? That pipeline shown in black is already there.
4. For reference, here is a map of all the nation’s pipelines.
Those lines have been there for decades with no major problems. No species being wiped out (well, no more than normal by other causes). No ground water contamination blanketing the entire Ohio River basin with thick oily sludge. NOTHING BAD IS HAPPENING. NOTHING. The newer pipeline will be brand-spanking new and have expected new seals, corrosion-free pipes, modern leak monitoring equipment and remediation kitty litter prepositioned every 50 feet.
5. I have heard one suggestion that it makes no sense to transport crude to Texas refineries when it could be refined near the Canadian Border. Small problem there. No refineries near the Canadian border. Texas refineries have excess capacity. Further, the most efficient way to transport liquids is by pipeline. Then, once the materials are refined, the gasoline needs a way to get to market. From Canada, that would mean thousands of miles of new gasoline pipelines to markets. Or we could just use the gasoline pipelines that already go to the Texas refineries.
6. I have heard the argument that if we don’t build that pipeline, the Canadians will just sell their oil to China. Another stupid argument. What they really mean is that they will build their own pipeline going to the coast and sell to whoever drives a tanker ship up to the pier. Most likely, that will still be us. Then we will tanker the oil to the ports of LA, Seattle and San Francisco, where it will be offloaded in (not into) pristine scenic waters and then sent by pipeline to refineries in Texas. With just a slight added cost for handling and not using the most efficient means. Tanker ship is only the second most efficient way to transport a liquid.
7. Even if the Canadians in a fit of anger cut us off from buying that oil, it won’t matter. Oil is a global market. The more Canadian oil other countries buy, the less other oil they buy and is available for us (at a higher price). Of course, we would prefer Canadian oil. They are currently our largest provider of oil. Mexico is number 2. And Canadian oil is high quality that doesn’t take a lot of refining to get it into gasoline. We would also prefer to share our worthless money with our neighbors to the North. I like to think of it as Karma for all those years they were putting Canadian quarters in US vending machines in the northern states.
10 comments:
1. word
2. But polar bears are being killed by toxic global warming, not from pipeline spills. This pipeline will increase our co2 production. We can kill polar bears with our cars.
3. That particular existing pipeline has only been there a few years. This doesn't really undermine anything you have said.
4. These would be the older pipelines.
5. We are supposedly building a refinery here in south dakota, if the polar bear lovers quit suing. No word on where the oil to be refined is coming from, but Canada, North Dakota, and Montana seem likely candidates.
6.,7. You said it brother.
This comment serve little purpose, as you said it all, but I think you like it when people comment.
Yes, I do. It validates my existence. Otherwise, I would think I completely wasted this day.
If polar bears are so stupid that they are huffing our CO2 from cars, they deserve to die. Hey, Polar Bears, Just say "NO" to car exhaust huffing.
Plus, the fewer polar bears, the more seals. Save the seals!
#8 There is this guy who gives Obummer a lot of money. This same guy owns most of the heavy rail in the USA. The rail line is BNSF. The man who owns it is Warren Buffet. BNSF has let it be known that they will tanker all that crude down to Texas, so the pipeline that TransCananda wants to build is a moot point. A BNSF friend of mine who works in Mgt at BNSF was pulled off the coal runs and relocated to NE a month ago to handle an oil tanker project.
In other news BNSF is gearing up to expand heavy rail transport out of Wyoming. Wyoming produces about 40% of all the coal in the USA. The two largest surface coal mines in the world are in WY. Both of these mines are doubeling their opporations. Obummer won't let this coal be burned in the USA, even though it is low sulfer coal. Instead its all going to China on Warren Buffet railways.
Res Ipsa
One other point I forgot to mention. Notice how the proposed pipeline cuts through the sw section of ND? Guess where the biggest oil play in the US is? Come on now guess. Its in ND. Transcanada's specs allow US oil to flow down to US refineries. The only person who HATES this part of the plan is a guy born in Kenya.
Res Ipsa
Point 1 is very important and it says a lot about how screwed up the Republic is becoming that the POTUS thinks he can makes this kind of unilateral decision without challenge.
Good post overall, PH.
I'm a Canadian, and I take great offense to...uumm.. well..EVERYTHING!! Actually, I'm one of the few who doesn't. From a 'northern' point of view? Sucks to have a dickless Prez
Thanks for visiting Anon. I have no idea what you are talking about. Did you start drinking early?
I don't know where you got that pipeline map but there are a crapload more pipelines in America than that.
It looks like a transport system map rather than an actual pipeline map. In other words it is showing connections rather than pipe paths and each connection could represent one or a hundred separate pipelines. But that is just a guess.
Anyway, that map is meaningless without a legend, those lines could be representing anything, there's no way to know.
Before you ask, yes, I map pipelines for a living.
In regards to Keystone your first point is the most pertinent. What the frack does the president know about the oil business? Sadly the answer to that question is "whatever his owners tell him."
There are other strange things going on in the oil business that I don't have an explanation for. One of them is the rash of oil company splits happening right now. Several oil companies are splitting into separate upstream and downstream businesses. The only explanation I can come up with is that management knows about some upcoming legislation that is going to affect the US oil business in a fundamental and they are preparing for it. But that's just a guess.
Athor Pel
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