article thumbnail

American Sands Energy announces successful operation of oil sand pilot facility in Utah

Green Car Congress

American Sands Energy Corp., an oil sands exploration and development company operating in the state of Utah, announced the successful operation of its oil sand recovery pilot facility. This is a key differentiator between us and more traditional oil sand companies.

Oil-Sands 306
article thumbnail

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

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 388
article thumbnail

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

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. Earlier post.).

Oil-Sands 314
article thumbnail

Canada oil sands producers form alliance to improve environmental performance

Green Car Congress

Twelve of Canada’s oil sands producers have formed a new alliance, Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), focused on accelerating the pace of improving environmental performance in Canada’s oil sands through collaborative action and innovation. This would improve plant reliability.

Oil-Sands 252
article thumbnail

Canada backs demonstration-scale algal biorefinery project in the oil sands; Algal Carbon Conversion

Green Car Congress

The Government of Canada is supporting a three-year project that will result in the construction of a $19-million, demonstration-scale facility in Alberta that will use algae to recycle industrial carbon dioxide emissions from an oil sands facility into commercial products such as biofuels. Click to enlarge.

Oil-Sands 199
article thumbnail

Understanding the variability of GHG life cycle studies of oil sands production

Green Car Congress

In a paper published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology , Stanford University assistant professor Adam Brandt reviews a number of recent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil sands extraction, upgrading, and refining pathways—the results of which vary considerably.

Oil-Sands 225
article thumbnail

Researchers propose framework for CCS infrastructure optimization to reduce GHG emissions from oil sands extraction and processing

Green Car Congress

The width of the pipeline network (green lines) is proportional to CO 2 flow; the largest CO 2 flow is approximately 36 MtCO 2 / yr for the $155/tCO 2 scenario (pipeline leaving the Athabasca oil sands area). The Alberta oil sands industry is expected to rapidly expand in coming decades; production could double or more in the next 10?15

Oil-Sands 225