2010, Carbon, Emissions and Oil-Sands

Study concludes permanent loss of peatlands in open-pit oil sands mining adds significantly to carbon burden of oil sands production

Green Car Congress

MARCH 13, 2012

Researchers at the University of Alberta (Canada) have quantified the transformation of the boreal landscape by open-pit oil sands mining in Alberta, Canada to evaluate its effect on carbon storage and sequestration. million metric tons of stored carbon. point out in their paper. —Rooney et al. —Rooney et al.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Carbon Conversion

Average carbon intensity of oil sands production has dropped ~36% in last 40 years; still 12-24% higher than conventional oil CI

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

The carbon intensity (CI) of Alberta oil sands production has significantly decreased over the last 40 years, according to a new study by a team from Stanford University published as an open access paper in the journal Environmental Research Letters. Click to enlarge. System boundary for mining & upgrading pathway.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Carbon Production

New study finds GHG emissions from palm oil production significantly underestimated; palm oil biofuels could be more climate-damaging than oil sands fuels

Green Car Congress

APRIL 27, 2012

When peat swamps are drained for agriculture, the peat begins to decompose, and is an enormous source of carbon emissions. Mha (20%) of the peatlands of Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo in 2010, surpassing the area of Belgium and causing an annual carbon emission from peat decomposition of 230–310 Mt CO 2 e.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions Climate

U Calgary study finds oil shale most energy intensive upgraded fuel followed by in-situ-produced bitumen from oil sands

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2015

A team at the University of Calgary (Canada) has compared the energy intensities and lifecycle GHG emissions of unconventional oils (oil sands and oil shale) alongside shale gas, coal, lignite, wood and conventional oil and gas. How does this relate to the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity?

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Energy Fuel

Researchers Suggest That Although CCS and Other Technologies Could Reduce Oil Sands GHG Emissions to Near Zero, That Strategy May Not Make Sense

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 15, 2010

Examples of emerging oil sands related technologies and trade-offs. The paper is an examination of how various choices about the scale of the life cycle analysis applied to oil sands (i.e., The source material is neither oil nor tar but bitumen, but is most generally described as an example of ultraheavy oil.”.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions Coal

Study finds plausibly high volumes of Canadian oil sands crudes in US refineries in 2025 would lead to modest increases in refinery CO2 emissions

Green Car Congress

MARCH 17, 2012

An analysis of the US refining sector, based on linear programming (LP) modeling, finds that refining plausibly high volumes of Canadian oil sands crudes in US refineries in 2025 would lead to a modest increase in refinery CO 2 emissions (ranging between 5.4% to 9.3%) from a 2010 baseline, depending upon the supply scenario.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions CO2

Shell secures C$865M funding for Canadian CO2 storage project; >1M tonnes/yr from oil sands

Green Car Congress

JUNE 25, 2011

The carbon capture process at the Scotford oil sands upgrader will capture about 35% of emissions. Shell has signed agreements with the Governments of Alberta and Canada to secure C$865 million (US$876 million) in funding for its Quest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project in Canada. Click to enlarge.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil CO2 Canada

Thailand enters the Canadian oil sands; Statoil selling 40% interest to PTTEP for US$2.28B

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2010

Statoil has agreed to sell a 40% interest in its oil sands project in Alberta, Canada (Kai Kos Dehseh) to PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) of Thailand. Future development of the oil sands leases will proceed in a stepwise manner.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Thailand Oil Canada

Canada and Alberta to Invest C$865M in Athabasca Oil Sands Carbon Capture and Storage Project

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 8, 2009

The provincial government of Alberta and the federal government of Canada will invest C$865 million (US$822 million) in a large-scale Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in the Athabasca oil sands. Two injection wells are in the test phase until early 2010. The project will capture and store up to 1.2 billion (US$1.28

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Canada Oil Carbon

CERA: Canadian Oil Sands Poised to Become the Top Source of Crude Imports to the US in 2010; Could Contribute Up To 36% of US Oil and Refined Products Imports by 2030

Green Car Congress

MAY 21, 2010

Growth of production of Canadian oil sands. The Canadian oil sands are now poised to become the number one source of US crude oil imports in 2010, according to new research from the IHS CERA Canadian Oil Sands Dialogue. Source: IHS CERA. Click to enlarge.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil 2010 Production

Sustainable Development Canada Awards C$6M to Project to Reduce Water and Energy Consumption for Oil Sands Processing; Three Other Projects Supported to Reduce Energy and Environmental Impact of Oil Sands

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

million) to the Petroleum Technology Research Centre ( PTRC ) in Regina, Saskatchewan and StatoilHydro Canada for a project to reduce water use and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions for in situ oil sands recovery by steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). Burning natural gas produces CO 2 emissions.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Water Canada

Study finds that switch to heavy and synthetic crude oils could double or triple refinery emissions

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 6, 2011

Increasing crude processing intensity and energy intensity with worsening oil quality. OQ: Crude feed oil quality. Switching to heavy crude oil and synthetic crude oil derived from oil sands bitumen in refineries could double or triple refinery emissions and add 1.6-3.7 PI: Crude processing intensity.

Oil

Oil Oil-Sands Emissions Hydrogen

Alberta moving ahead with major new oilsands refinery with carbon capture

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

The Alberta government has successfully negotiated contracts for two projects that will advance the upgrading and refining of oil sands bitumen to diesel fuel. have agreed to terms and conditions specific to the first major carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the province. —Premier Ed Stelmach.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Carbon Oil 2009

New petroleum refining lifecycle model finds the variability in GHG emissions from refining different crudes as significant as magnitude expected in upstream operations

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 9, 2012

PRELIM uses a more comprehensive range of crude oil quality and refinery configurations than used in earlier models and can quantify energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with detail and transparency the better to inform policy analysis, the duo suggests. By 2010 this fraction had increased to 15%.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Emissions Oil Hydrogen

Study concludes transport regulations should focus on energy-intensity-based fuel standards along with regulation of upstream carbon-intensity; decomposing transport GHG emissions into 3 factors

Green Car Congress

APRIL 11, 2011

Decomposition of greenhouse gas emission in transportation (A), relevant actors (B), and corresponding policy instruments (C). volume and GHG-based fuel standards) to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from on-road transportation need to evolve towards energy-intensity-based fuel standards (e.g., Creutzig et al.

Transportation

Transportation Emissions Carbon Fuel

Researchers Say Mix of Policies and Current or Near-Term Technologies Could Phase Out US CO2 Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants by 2030

Green Car Congress

MAY 2, 2010

Life-cycle GHG emissions from fossil and alternative sources of electricity. This global climate change problem becomes manageable only if society deals quickly with emissions of carbon dioxide from burning coal in electric power plants, they state. Credit: ACS, Kharecha et al. Click to enlarge. Kharecha et al. Kharecha et al.

Coal

Coal Emissions Oil-Sands Climate Change

Federal Judge rules California Low Carbon Fuel Standard violates Commerce Clause of US Constitution

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 30, 2011

O’Neill, Eastern District of California, ruled on Thursday that the State of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program is in violation of the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution and issued an injunction prohibiting its enforcement. Earlier post.) Earlier post.). Supremacy and Commerce clauses.

California

California Carbon Standards Fuel

ExxonMobil Outlook: 35% growth in energy demand by 2040; hybrids to account for ~50% of new vehicle sales

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 15, 2013

By 2040, hybrids are expected to account for about 35% of the global light-duty vehicle fleet, up from less than 1% in 2010. Energy-related CO 2 emissions. Market forces and emerging public policies will continue to have an impact on energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. liters per 100 km) in 2010.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Energy Hybrid Sale

DOE Seeking Comments on Report on Research Strategy for Developing Unconventional Fossil Energy Resources

Green Car Congress

APRIL 25, 2010

to continue to import roughly half of its crude oil supply for the foreseeable future, despite strong growth in renewable biofuels supply. Despite expected dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and conservation, emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption will grow over the next quarter century.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Energy Coal Oil

BP Energy Outlook 2030 sees emerging economies leading energy growth to 2030; global CO2 emissions from energy well above IEA 450 scenario

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 19, 2011

In both the base-case and a scenario with more aggressive environmental policies, CO 2 emissions from energy use remain well above the IEA 450 scenario. However, both cases result in global CO 2 emissions well above the IEA 450 scenario—a back-cast which illustrates what is required to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at 450 ppm.

Energy

Energy Economy Global Oil-Sands

ExxonMobil: global GDP up ~140% by 2040, but energy demand ~35% due to efficiency; LDV energy demand to rise only slightly despite doubling parc

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 10, 2014

As the world population increases by the estimated 30% from 2010 to 2040, ExxonMobil sees global GDP rising by about 140%, but energy demand by only about 35% due to greater efficiency. Progress on curbing carbon dioxide emissions through 2040 will be led by OECD nations as energy demand declines and a shift to lower-carbon fuels occurs.

Energy

Energy Global 2010 Oil-Sands

Researchers describe the “where” and “when” of life cycle emissions from gasoline and ethanol in the US

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 11, 2012

Contributions of regions to total life cycle emissions for three fuels (µg per vehicle-mile traveled per km 2 land area). Dashed lines show US average emissions. Associated tailpipe emissions alone account for 40?60% Credit: ACS, Tessum et al. Click to enlarge. —Tessum et al.

Gasoline

Gasoline Emissions Gasoline-Electric Pollution

IHS CERA meta-analysis finds lifecycle GHG emissions for fuel produced solely from oil sands crude average 11% higher than from average crude refined in the US; high variability

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Average values for WTW GHG emissions for oil sands and other crudes, tight boundary. When the oil sands products refined in the United States are considered—a mixture of oil sands and lower-carbon blending components—the GHG emissions are, on average, 9% higher than the average crude processed in the US.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Emissions United States

Stanford, UC Santa Cruz study explores ramifications of demand-driven peak to conventional oil

Green Car Congress

JULY 2, 2013

In contrast to arguments that peak conventional oil production is imminent due to physical resource scarcity, a team from Stanford University and UC Santa Cruz has examined the alternative possibility of reduced oil use due to improved efficiency and oil substitution. 2010, to above 140 $/bbl in constant 2010 dollars).

Oil

Oil Oil-Sands Fuel Economy Transportation

Cenovus increased oil sands production by 14% year-on-year in Q3; Wedge Wells for increased recovery and lower steam-to-oil ratio

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 27, 2011

a Canadian integrated oil company, reported an increase in third quarter crude oil production year-on-year of about 4% due to oil sands production that was 14% higher compared with the same period a year earlier. Conventional oil production slightly declined due to a combination of factors. Cenovus Energy Inc.,

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Oil Production 2010

HEI report identifies potential health consequences from new vehicle fuels and technologies; recommended actions

Green Car Congress

MARCH 14, 2011

The large number of new vehicle fuels and technologies being developed to meet market and legislative pressure for improved efficiency and reduced emissions offer major opportunities for progress, according to a new report published by the Special Committee on Emerging Technologies (SCET) of the Health Effects Institute ( HEI ). Source: HEI.

Fuel

Fuel Vehicles Emissions Oil-Sands

Devil in the Details: World Leaders Scramble To Salvage and Shape Copenhagens UNFCCC Climate Summit

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 29, 2009

At issue is the 2012 expiration of the Kyoto Protocol, a binding but effectively unenforceable 1997 treaty that had set greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for 40 industrialized countries, referred to as Annex 1 countries, yielding an average GHG reduction of 5.2%

Climate

Climate Climate Change 2009 Emissions

ExxonMobil Outlook projects hybrids and advanced vehicles to account for nearly 50% of cars globally by 2040; fuel demand for for personal vehicles to peak and decline, while commercial transportation demand rises 70%

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 11, 2011

Exxon Mobil Corporation’s new The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040 , released last week, projects that global energy demand in 2040 will be about 30% higher than it was in 2010 as population grows to 9 billion and global GDP doubles. By 2040, heavy duty fuel demand will be up about 60 percent versus 2010. L/100 km) by 2040.

Personal

Personal Global Transportation Fuel

The Cat Is Still On The Roof – And The Roof! The Roof! The Roof Is On Fire!

Creative Greenius

OCTOBER 15, 2009

They deliberately suppressed and illegally covered up the EPA’s 2007 ENDANGERMENT FINDING that said the government should begin regulating greenhouse gas emissions because global warming posed serious risks to the country. Carbon dioxide amount is already 385 ppm and rising about 2 ppm per year.”. That’s 18 months away.

Climate Change

Climate Change Climate 2008 Carbon

Cleantech Blog: Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 16, 2009

Cleantech Blog Cleantechblog.com, the premier cleantech site for commentary on news and technology relating to clean tech, greentech, energy, climate change and carbon, and the environment. Cleantech Crunched Top 10 Low Carbon Footprint Cars (and one SUV) for. Tree Planting as Carbon Offsets – Does Latitude Ma.

Grid

Grid Electric Vehicles Vehicles Oil-Sands

Electric Car Manufacturers Inspire New Paradigms -- Seeking Alpha

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 28, 2009

before 2010. The customer will only pay a monthly fee about $240 (US Dollars) which includes a full maintenance service agreement; carbon offset payments and in some countries even all electricity used, and insurance. Today we could be using lead-acid EVs, lead-carbon-acid EVs, or nickel metal hydride or lithium-ion hybrids.

Manufacturer

Manufacturer Electric Cars Cars i-MiEV

EV Driven

Study concludes permanent loss of peatlands in open-pit oil sands mining adds significantly to carbon burden of oil sands production

Average carbon intensity of oil sands production has dropped ~36% in last 40 years; still 12-24% higher than conventional oil CI

New study finds GHG emissions from palm oil production significantly underestimated; palm oil biofuels could be more climate-damaging than oil sands fuels

U Calgary study finds oil shale most energy intensive upgraded fuel followed by in-situ-produced bitumen from oil sands

Researchers Suggest That Although CCS and Other Technologies Could Reduce Oil Sands GHG Emissions to Near Zero, That Strategy May Not Make Sense

Study finds plausibly high volumes of Canadian oil sands crudes in US refineries in 2025 would lead to modest increases in refinery CO2 emissions

Shell secures C$865M funding for Canadian CO2 storage project; >1M tonnes/yr from oil sands

Thailand enters the Canadian oil sands; Statoil selling 40% interest to PTTEP for US$2.28B

Canada and Alberta to Invest C$865M in Athabasca Oil Sands Carbon Capture and Storage Project

CERA: Canadian Oil Sands Poised to Become the Top Source of Crude Imports to the US in 2010; Could Contribute Up To 36% of US Oil and Refined Products Imports by 2030

Sustainable Development Canada Awards C$6M to Project to Reduce Water and Energy Consumption for Oil Sands Processing; Three Other Projects Supported to Reduce Energy and Environmental Impact of Oil Sands

Study finds that switch to heavy and synthetic crude oils could double or triple refinery emissions

Alberta moving ahead with major new oilsands refinery with carbon capture

New petroleum refining lifecycle model finds the variability in GHG emissions from refining different crudes as significant as magnitude expected in upstream operations

Study concludes transport regulations should focus on energy-intensity-based fuel standards along with regulation of upstream carbon-intensity; decomposing transport GHG emissions into 3 factors

Researchers Say Mix of Policies and Current or Near-Term Technologies Could Phase Out US CO2 Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants by 2030

Federal Judge rules California Low Carbon Fuel Standard violates Commerce Clause of US Constitution

ExxonMobil Outlook: 35% growth in energy demand by 2040; hybrids to account for ~50% of new vehicle sales

DOE Seeking Comments on Report on Research Strategy for Developing Unconventional Fossil Energy Resources

BP Energy Outlook 2030 sees emerging economies leading energy growth to 2030; global CO2 emissions from energy well above IEA 450 scenario

ExxonMobil: global GDP up ~140% by 2040, but energy demand ~35% due to efficiency; LDV energy demand to rise only slightly despite doubling parc

Researchers describe the “where” and “when” of life cycle emissions from gasoline and ethanol in the US

IHS CERA meta-analysis finds lifecycle GHG emissions for fuel produced solely from oil sands crude average 11% higher than from average crude refined in the US; high variability

Stanford, UC Santa Cruz study explores ramifications of demand-driven peak to conventional oil

Cenovus increased oil sands production by 14% year-on-year in Q3; Wedge Wells for increased recovery and lower steam-to-oil ratio

HEI report identifies potential health consequences from new vehicle fuels and technologies; recommended actions

Devil in the Details: World Leaders Scramble To Salvage and Shape Copenhagens UNFCCC Climate Summit

ExxonMobil Outlook projects hybrids and advanced vehicles to account for nearly 50% of cars globally by 2040; fuel demand for for personal vehicles to peak and decline, while commercial transportation demand rises 70%

The Cat Is Still On The Roof – And The Roof! The Roof! The Roof Is On Fire!

Cleantech Blog: Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Electric Car Manufacturers Inspire New Paradigms -- Seeking Alpha

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