ODAC News
Wednesday 30 May
The Oil Depletion Analysis Centre
1/ Our blind faith in oil growth could bring
the economy crashing down (The
Guardian, Tue 29 May)
2a/
Britain Maps Out Clean, Secure Energy Future (
2b/
Energy white paper: meeting the energy challenge (UK Dept of Trade and Industry, May 2007)
2c/
Energy white paper: chapter 4 - oil, gas and coal (UK Dept of Trade and
Industry, May 2007)
3/ 60 percent of oil and
gas execs believe trend of declining reserves is irreversible (Energy Bulletin [PR Newswire/KPMG],
Fri 25 May)
4/ Stage set for $US80 oil prices (Sydney
Morning Herald, Fri 25 May)
5a/
Breaking: housing prices collapse [USA] (Daily
5b/
Sales of Existing Homes Fell in April (NY Times, Sat 26 May)
6a/
Russia tries to burn BP (The Sunday Times, Sun 27 May)
6b/
BP loses appeal against Russian oil field seizure (The Times, Mon 28 May)
7a/ Interesting
Times in Kuwait (ODAC contact, Mon
28 May)
7b/
Dubai : City of Super-towers - Dubai to have at
least six supertowers by 2015 (Gulf
News, Mon 28 May)
7c/
Emirates poised to become largest long-haul
carrier (Gulf News, Mon 28 May)
7d/
RTA on long drive with $12b project [Roads and Transport Authority -
Dubai] (Khaleej Times, Wed 30 May)
8a/ Russia Faces Shortage of Workforce (FC Novosti, Thu 24 May)
8b/
No Unregistered Oil Wells Left (FC Novosti, Tue 29 May)
9/ Growing biofuels demand raises food prices (Financial Times, Sun 27 May)
10/
So, we'd be able to take OPEC to court — what a
big help (
11a/ Organic movement faces split
over air-freighted food (The
Independent, Tue 29 May)
11b/ Dominic Lawson: A lesson in
how to dig yourself into a hole (The
Independent, Tue 29 May)
12/
Ancient forest threatened by airport expansion
bid [UK] (The Independent,
Tue 29 May)
13/
Easterners could freeze in the dark [Canada] (Globe and Mail, Mon 28 May)
14/
With measure of caution, Europe joins biofuel
gold rush (International
Herald Tribune, Mon 28 May)
**********************************************************************************************************
1/ Our blind faith in oil growth could bring the economy
crashing down (The
Guardian, Tue 29 May)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2089849,00.html
Comment: Good to see George Monbiot tackle Peak Oil in earnest. The
Article:
... The energy white paper the government published
last week talks of new taxes, new markets, new research, new
incentives. Anyone reading the chapter on transport would be forgiven for
believing that the government has the problem under control: as a result of its
measures, we are likely to see a great reduction in our use of geological time.
Buried in another chapter, however, and so far missed
by all journalists, there is a remarkable admission: "The majority (66%)
of
You won't find the answer in the white paper. It
mysteriously forgets to mention that the government intends to build another
2,500 miles of trunk roads and to double the capacity of our airports by 2030.
... What happens beyond the medium term is anyone's
guess. But it should be pretty obvious that more roads and more airports will
mean that our rising use of transport fuel becomes hardwired - the future
health of the economy will depend on it. So the government must have examined
this question. If our economic lives depend on continued growth in the
consumption of transport fuels, it must first have determined that such growth
is possible. Mustn't it?
Last week I phoned four government departments - trade
and industry, transport, environment, communities and local government - in the
hope of finding this assessment. But it does not exist. No report has ever been
commissioned by the British government on the issue of whether or not there is
enough oil to sustain its transport programme.
Instead, both the white paper and the civil servants I
spoke to referred me to a book published by the International Energy Agency,
set up by the OECD after the 1974 oil crisis. This in itself is odd. On every
other issue that might affect the
Before it presents any evidence, the book dismisses
people who have questioned future oil supplies as "doomsayers". It
announces that it has "long maintained that none of this [the possibility
that oil supplies might be reaching a peak] is a cause for concern".
Though it expects the global demand for oil to rise by 70% between now and
2030, and though it anticipates that output from the world's existing oilfields
will decline by about 5% a year, it is confident that new supplies will make up
the difference.
[Monbiot goes on to discuss the IEA, OPEC, a couple of
Robert Hirsch's reports and peak oil]
We don't need to invoke peak oil to produce an
argument for cutting our use of transport fuel. But you might have imagined
that the government would have shown just a little curiosity about whether or
not its transport programme will bring the economy crashing down.
**********************************************************************************************************
2a/
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/42117/story.htm
Comment: The
Article:
Its nuclear call was met with cheers from utility
companies but jeers from environmentalists, while the necessary lengthy
consultations raised fears the country faced an energy crunch.
"If nuclear is excluded, there is every chance
that its place would be taken by gas and coal generation, which of course emits
carbon," Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling told parliament,
announcing the Energy White Paper.
"I am quite clear in my mind that it is important
that we have a mix of energy supply ... that we don't become overly dependent
on imported gas," he added.
... The clock is ticking. All but one of the existing
nuclear power plants are scheduled to close by 2023 and even the most
optimistic pro-nuclear lobbyists reckon it will take a minimum of 10 years to
build a new plant from scratch.
Darling said a decision on new nuclear must be taken
this year. He said no public money would go into new nuclear plants.
There is no clear evidence that private sector finance
will be on offer for an industry that needs huge initial investment, even if it
can later generate power at relatively low cost...
2b/ Energy white paper: meeting
the energy challenge (UK Dept of Trade and Industry, May 2007)
http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/page39534.html
Comment: ‘Peak Oil’ and ‘depletion’ do
not appear anywhere in the document. As discussed in item 2c, the oil, gas and
coal chapter suggest a world of plenty.
2c/ Energy white paper: chapter 4
- oil, gas and coal (UK
Dept of Trade and Industry, May 2007)
chapter 4 - oil, gas and coal (PDF, 470KB)
Comments:
Section 4.03
- This is the first time I have seen the DTI admit that the
<<While the UK has benefited from indigenous
reserves of oil and gas for many years, as the North Sea matures, we will
become increasingly dependent on imported energy. By 2010, gas imports could be
meeting up to a third or more of the
Section 4.02
would suggest that the
<<… however, fossil fuels will continue to be
the predominant source of energy for decades to come. In fact, global fossil
fuel resources are still plentiful, and markets are well-developed to deal with
increased trade.>>
Section 4.04
suggests that the
<<We therefore need to be confident that the
market for fossil fuels, supported by appropriate Government policies,
continues to ensure reliable supplies of these fuels at competitive prices to people
and businesses.>>
Section 4.05
- “However, we have a clear strategy to manage these
risks” ??
<<Whilst imports are not in themselves a threat
to security of supply, our reliance on fossil fuels and higher levels of import
dependence will bring new associated risks, as the UK will face greater
exposure to developments in the global energy system (these risks are
highlighted in chapter 1). However, we have a clear strategy to manage these
risks.>>
Section 4.15,
Figure 4.2 - ACTUAL AND POSSIBLE FUTURE UKCS OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION. Propaganda. After 2007, when the Buzzard-effect has worn
off,
Section
4.39. For the record, the latest DTI Oil and Oil Products data (Excel) shows that
the
<<As UKCS oil production declines, we will
continue to rely on the global oil market to source our oil supplies.
Currently, the
Section 4.44,
Figure 4.3 shows substantial growth in UK natural gas requirements between now
and 2020, “based on Wood Mackenzie estimates for supply sources to the UK to
2020”. For 2020, about 50 bcm of gas / year from
Section 4.45
– “Worldwide LNG supplies and import capacity are expected to double by 2010”.
This is true, but demand is expected to more than double. The above-mentioned
Wood Mackenzie is one of most pessimistic about future LNG supplies. Watch Wood
Mackenzie LNG video.
**********************************************************************************************************
3/ 60 percent of oil and gas
execs believe trend of declining reserves is irreversible (Energy Bulletin [PR Newswire/KPMG], Fri 25
May)
http://www.energybulletin.net/30106.html
Article: Oil and Gas Executives say
government involvement in supporting the development of renewable energy
sources is necessary to alleviate the problem of declining oil reserves, according
to the results of a survey conducted by KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory
firm.
In the KPMG survey, which polled 553 financial
executives from oil and gas companies in April 2007, twenty-five percent of the
respondents said that at least 75 percent of government funding into energy
should be directed at the renewable sources sector and a further 44 percent
said that at least 50 percent of funding should be allocated in the same way.
These feelings stem from the overwhelming majority, or 82 percent, citing
declining oil reserves as a concern.
"These executives are deeply concerned about
declining oil reserves, a situation they see as irreversible and
worsening," said Bill Kimble, National Line of Business Leader, Industrial Markets for KPMG LLP. "They see renewable
energy sources as a lifeline but our survey shows that the execs recognize they
cannot count on them as a solution in the short-term. Consequently, oil and gas
companies are sending a clear signal to the government that intervention is
needed."
While oil and gas executives are keen to see renewable
energy sources becoming a mass produced reality, 60 percent say that will not
be possible by 2010. Of those that believe it will, 18 percent say ethanol is
the most viable for mass production by then, 13 percent say biodiesel
and only 3 percent say cellulosic ethanol.
Sixty percent of the executives believe that the trend
of declining oil reserves is irreversible...
**********************************************************************************************************
4/ Stage set for $US80 oil
prices (Sydney
Morning Herald, Fri 25 May)
http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/stage-set-for-us80-oil-prices/2007/05/25/1179601621566.html
Article: Global oil prices could
easily rally to record levels above $US80 a barrel this European summer,
analysts forecast on Thursday, due to
But record high prices will not have the same impact
on oil demand as in the past few years since consumers have grown accustomed to
it.
London Brent crude, currently seen as more
representative of the global oil market, briefly rose on Thursday to a
nine-month high of $US71.42 a barrel.
"It looks like prices are going to move even
higher because of geopolitical tensions and tightness in the
Analysts said little has changed since the last
Northern hemisphere summer when oil prices surged to a record $US78.65 for
Brent and $US78.40 for US crude.
Worries over
One significant change since last summer has been
OPEC's decision to curb supplies by 1.7 million barrels per day, or about six percent.
"The world needs more oil than OPEC seems willing
to supply, making it difficult to avoid another surge in oil prices over the
coming summer," the Centre for Global Energy Studies said in its monthly
report.
... Prices would need to average about $US85 a barrel
this year to have the same impact on global demand as in 2005, he [Jeffrey
Currie, analyst at Goldman Sachs investment bank] added.
**********************************************************************************************************
5a/ Breaking: housing prices
collapse [
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/24/104312/608
Comment: Interesting review of a Wall
Street Journal on house prices in the
5b/ Sales of Existing Homes Fell
in April (NY Times,
Sat 26 May)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/business/26econ-web.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Article: By all measures, April was a
bad month for anyone with a “For Sale” sign in the front yard.
Sales of previously owned homes declined last month as
the supply of unsold properties on the market ballooned and prices declined
compared with those a year earlier.
The National Association of Realtors said today that
the annual sales rate for existing homes fell 2.6 percent, to 6 million, which
was the slowest pace in almost four years. At the same time, inventories grew
to an 8.4-month supply — the largest in 15 years — and the median price of an
existing home fell 0.8 percent, to $220,900.
The report came a day after a government report on new
home sales showed that prices dropped last month by the largest amount on
record. While that report also showed sales posting their biggest monthly jump
in 14 years, many economists dismissed the number as a fluke.
The state of the residential real estate market, as
shown in recent days by income reports from home builders, sales figures and
other industry barometers, remains dim...
**********************************************************************************************************
6a/
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article1844560.ece
Comment: Interesting overview of the
history/politics of BP in
Article: The oil giant could face the
same fate as Shell at Sakhalin as
IN the summer of 2003 Vladimir Putin made the first
state visit to
Putin’s
trip was as much about business as diplomacy. One of the highlights was the
signing – in the gilded splendour of Lancaster House, a 19th-century mansion in
St James’s,
Four years on, Browne has gone, Blair is about to
leave power and TNK-BP, the Anglo-Russian group the pair laboured to create, is
under attack from the Kremlin. TNK-BP’s licence to exploit one of
... TNK-BP is the only big oil and gas group in
... As The Sunday Times revealed in 2003 (see link on
far right), TNK-BP was the end-result of BP’s frustration with an earlier
Russian investment that was going wrong.
The company (TNK-BP) is now the third-biggest player
in Russian oil and gas. It has proven reserves equivalent to 7.8 billion
barrels of oil, and in 2005 was producing 1.6m barrels of oil a day. It also
has five refineries (four in
... The current spat with the Russian authorities
concerns not the oil operation, but its prospects of becoming a major player in
gas. TNK-BP is the controlling shareholder (with a 63% stake) in Rusia Petroleum, which owns the rights to a large gas field
called Kovykta, in the
... Some observers believe BP’s decision has
highlighted the key flaw of the white paper. The government has rightly
identified the two great challenges – fighting climate change and securing energy
supplies – but it is showing little urgency to tackle a looming energy crisis.
... The government’s laudable aim is to secure a
diverse mix of energy supply. But given the long development timescales, the
white paper is likely to increase
6b/ BP loses
appeal against Russian oil field seizure (The Times, Mon 28 May)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article1850382.ece
Comment: Follow up to article 6a.
Article: Request to prevent Russian
state seizure of TNK-BP's Kovykta oil field is thrown out of court, but company
can appeal
BP's Russian joint venture TNK-BP lost the first round
in its battle to hold on to its stake in giant Kovykta oil field today when a
Russian court threw out its appeal against the seizure.
A judge in an arbitration court in
TNK-BP had claimed that two environmental agencies Rosprirodnadzor and Rosnedr had
no legal right to start the process of withdrawing its licence, and that the
move was politically motivated.
It is widely believed that the Russian government is
using the threat of withdrawal over environmental grounds to force TNK-BP and
its privately-owned partner Alfa - owned by a group of Russian billionaires -
to give up a proportion of their stake in the oil field operator Rusia Petroleum.
**********************************************************************************************************
7a/ Interesting Times in Kuwait (ODAC contact, Mon 28 May)
Comment: From an ODAC contact in the
Feedback: Noticed you carried a piece
about
See this local blog - Interesting Times in Kuwait
Meanwhile today amongst the local media were 2
articles on the "Energy Insanity" that stood out.
Emirates poised to become largest long-haul carrier
[item 7c below]
7b/
http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Real_Estate_Property/10128282.html
Comment: Contains interesting image of
the six supertowers.
Article: The fast-changing
The supertowers are Burj Dubai
(where work continues after the completion of 126 floors), Burj
Al Alam (slated to rise to 108 floors), the
101-storey Marina 101,
Most of these buildings are in various stages of
planning and construction although Burj Dubai -
tipped to become the world's tallest tower - is powering ahead, adding a floor
a week, and at least three others are in the early stages of construction. Work
on Al Burj is not expected to start until Burj Dubai, whose height and floor-level are
closely-guarded secrets, is completed.
So
7c/ Emirates poised to become
largest long-haul carrier (Gulf
News, Mon 28 May)
http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Aviation/10128161.html
Article: Emirates airline could become
the world's largest long-haul carrier by 2012 (by seats), according a recent
study.
An analysis by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
predicts Emirates will pose a formidable challenge to Asian and European
carriers after it triples its capacity over the next eight years through new
orders and bigger planes, citing low labour costs, 24-hour flying schedule and
optimal geographic location as ingredients of its success.
Emirates, currently the eighth largest carrier of
international traffic, will expand its fleet of 102 aircraft with 47 Airbus
A380 superjumbos over the next few years. The
airline's net profits rose 25 per cent in 2006, to Dh3.1 billion ($844
million)...
7d/ RTA on long drive with $12b
project [Roads and Transport Authority -
Comment: ODAC contact in the
How much energy (oil & Gas) is this road project
going to take to construct and how much more do they expect the rapidly rising
population to use in the future. Has anyone ever thought where these massive
increases in fuels are going to come from? Occasionally the media here talks
about the abundant solar resource but its all hype - in reality solar is a very
expensive option compared to energy efficiency and heavily subsidised
electricity (GBP 0.01 to 0.03 per kwh) and petrol
(currently GBP 0.70 per imperial gallon - and a higher proportion of Hummer's,
SUVs here than even USA).
Article: The Roads and Transport
Authority (RTA) yesterday unveiled a $12 billion plan to increase the capacity
of roads by building 500km of new roads, 95 new interchanges, nine new ring
roads as well as increasing the number of Creek crossing lanes to tackle
Dubai’s traffic problems.
... Outlining the RTA’s plan
of action, Al Tayer said the creation of a livable city posed a significant challenge since land use
planning didn’t support sustainability and the way communities were planned
only helped to increase automobile dependence.
Currently, the share of all trips made by public transport (buses and Abra) does not exceed 7 per cent of the total traffic.
... The transport issue on everyone’s mind is traffic
congestion. ’population is forecast to increase from
1.3 million in 2005 to around 5.3 million by 2020. The rapid increase in
population growth is a major factor contributing to the increase in traffic
congestion. Statistics reveal that 16 per cent of the congestion is related to
road accidents.
**********************************************************************************************************
8a/
http://www.fcinfo.ru/themes/basic/materials-rfcm-index.asp?folder=3352
Comment:
Article: Experts warn that the
construction, telecommunications and finance sectors will be seriously
understaffed by 2015. The shortage of workforce in those industries will reach
14%-22%. Even administrative workers will be in greater demand, as the shortage
of managers will reach 10%, according to an economic forecasting think tank
under the
[The article goes on to say that there is currently a
glut of workers by 8-9%, and immigration will defer the problem for a year or
two, not solve it]
8b/ No Unregistered Oil Wells
Left (FC Novosti,
Tue 29 May)
http://www.fcinfo.ru/themes/basic/materials-rfcm-index.asp?folder=3192
Article: The Russian Natural Resources
Ministry has fulfilled the task set by the president and inventoried all of the
country’s oil wells.
“The work is completed, there are 248,000 working
wells and 4,000 exploration wells,” said Minister Yuri Trutnev
at the meeting with President Vladimir Putin. “The owners and locations of all
wells have been checked.”
**********************************************************************************************************
9/ Growing biofuels demand
raises food prices (Financial
Times, Sun 27 May)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/30c58c22-0c76-11dc-a4dc-000b5df10621.html
Comment: The
Article: Soft commodities are hardening.
Corn, wheat, cocoa and coffee prices have all risen strongly in recent months,
suggesting consumers will face an extended period of more expensive food.
This year, corn and wheat prices have reached their
highest levels for a more than a decade, while coffee prices have hit an
eight-year high and cocoa has risen to a four-year high.
Yet while price gains for cocoa and coffee have been
driven by adverse weather affecting production during a period of rising
consumption, analysts say grains prices are experiencing a structural shift,
owing mainly to the growing demand for biofuels.
“Just as energy and metals prices have rallied sharply
in real terms, a similar fate awaits grains, which remain significantly below
the [inflation adjusted] highs of the 1970s and mid-1990s,” says Michael Hughes
of Deutsche Bank.
Recent price strength has sparked fears that consumers
could face higher bills, while policymakers are concerned that rising food
prices will drive inflation higher. In addition, global food demand is rising
strongly, thanks to economic growth.
Predictions for higher prices come in spite of
expectations that global grain production will rise 6.2 per cent to a record
1.666bn tonnes in 2007-08, according to the International Grains Council.
However, this will not match global consumption – forecast by the IGC at
1.680bn tonnes, up 3.1 per cent on the previous year.
The situation for cocoa and coffee is different from
grains. Coffee’s strength has been driven by adverse weather affecting
production in
Biofuels are gradually taking over as the main growth
driver of agriculture demand. Goldman Sachs says that if government policies
are adopted in full, global demand for biofuels could increase from 10bn
gallons a year to 25bn gallons by 2010.
Goldman expects the trend rate of growth in demand for
agricultural commodities to rise from 1.9 per cent a
year between 1997 and 2006 to 2.6 per cent a year between 1996 and 2015.
This is expected to lead to an extended period of high
prices. Goldman forecasts that five years from now, corn will trade at $5 a
bushel, compared with about $3.50 on Monday, while wheat will rise from $4.50
to $6 a bushel.
**********************************************************************************************************
10/ So, we'd be able to take OPEC to court — what a big help (
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/4834680.html
Article: Congress thinks we aren't
paying enough for gasoline.
That's the only conclusion to draw from a bill,
approved by the House on Tuesday, that would allow our
government to sue OPEC members.
The bill, which also has strong support in the Senate,
would amend antitrust laws to make it illegal for foreign governments to curb
oil and natural gas production or control energy prices.
… In February, OPEC countries supplied 44 percent of
our crude oil imports, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
Threatening OPEC isn't going to lower prices. What's
the old maxim about biting the hand that feeds?
"We don't have to stand by and watch OPEC dictate
the price of our gas," blustered Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich.
Actually, we do, although OPEC's influence has waned.
We made the choice to give up control of our energy
supply when we bought gas-guzzling SUVs. We made it when we embraced driving
over other forms of transportation. We made it when we decided to drag our feet
on developing alternative fuels. We made it when we didn't demand that Congress
require better fuel efficiency from automakers. We made it when we elected
leaders whose idea of conservation is reversing the spin of ceiling fans. We
make it, too, when we oppose efforts to expand domestic drilling.
The "No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels"
bill, or NOPEC in what passes for cleverness on Capitol Hill, shows the depths
of our desperation. As the world's largest energy consumer, we lash out at the
notion that someone would dare exploit our weakness.
Yet we ceded control to OPEC years ago. With more oil
now concentrated in the hands of national oil companies — most of them OPEC
members — we no longer get to make the rules...
**********************************************************************************************************
11a/ Organic movement faces split
over air-freighted food (The
Independent, Tue 29 May)
http://environment.independent.co.uk/lifestyle/article2591469.ece
Comment: The Soil Association is very
Peak Oil aware - their annual conference held in
Article: For the conscientious, food
shopping poses many ethical dilemmas: are organic bananas better than Fairtrade or English tomatoes preferable to imports?
On this one question could hinge the prosperity of
thousands of African farmers, fruit and vegetable importers, the integrity of
the organic movement and, to some extent, the health of the planet itself.
If the body which certifies three-quarters or organic
food, the Soil Association, rules that the climate change pollution cannot be
justified, it may ban all flown-in food.
A ban might split the organic movement: one side with
strict environmental standards and another with looser standards that factor in
the development of the
Farmers have struggled to grow enough food and in 2005
supermarkets imported one-third of their organic range, mostly by air.
Nationally "food miles" are at a record
high, with air-freighting up 136 per cent between 1992 and 2002.
... In its consultation, which ends on 28 September
this year, the Soil Association is setting out the case for five options.
Maintaining the status quo would help faraway producers but might damage the
organisation's credibility. A gradual or total ban would damage exporters but
help tackle climate change and encourage more sustainable agriculture. Warning
stickers or offsetting flights would be a compromise...
11b/ Dominic Lawson: A lesson in
how to dig yourself into a hole (The Independent, Tue 29 May)
http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_a_l/dominic_lawson/article2591486.ece
Comment: Dominic Lawson puts the boot into the Soil
Association, and in particular Patrick Holden, the director of the SA. A hunch
- Dominic Lawson has never heard of Peak Oil, and thinks we can continue flying
large quantities of food around the world forever. Lawson states: “The director
of the Soil Association, Patrick Holden, is one of the hardliners: he believes
that almost all food exports worldwide should be ended”, but cites no
reference. Is Lawson getting confused between airfreight and all food exports
including sea freight? I do not know, but it is transport of food by air that
the SA is raising the profile of, not export of food in general, the main theme
of his article. The article also begs the question – if food by airfreight is
so critical, how did we ever manage without it, which we did until relatively
recently?
Article: We should not be surprised
that the Soil Association is so careless of the wider interests of the world…
**********************************************************************************************************
12/ Ancient forest threatened by
airport expansion bid [
http://environment.independent.co.uk/wildlife/article2591470.ece
Comment: The forecasts for growth in
air passengers are unbelievable. 25M passengers 2008, 68M
2030. Hopefully someone is asking – where is the fuel for the forecast
increase in flights coming from?
Article: … A public
inquiry begins tomorrow into urgent proposals by the British Airport Authority
to expand the permitted number of passengers by 10 million to 35 million a year
and flights by more than 20,000 to 264,000 a year.
The present limit of 25 million is expected to be
reached by 2008. If the second runway is built, 68 million passengers are
forecast for Stansted by 2030…
**********************************************************************************************************
13/ Easterners could freeze in
the dark [
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070528.wcoenergy28/BNStory/specialComment/home
Comment: Excellent, reasonably short
review of the fact that
Article: At a meeting of the House of
Commons' international trade committee earlier this month, Leon Benoit, the
Conservative chairman, ordered me to stop my presentation as an invited
witness.
... I was cut off after noting that the
And while
Indeed,
For example, in researching how
Further, I was surprised that the government was not
even studying Canadian energy security.
The National Energy Board wrote me on April 12:
"Unfortunately, the
... But that doesn't make sense. Canada may be a net
exporter, but it still imports 40 per cent of its oil - 850,000 barrels per day
- to meet 90 per cent of Atlantic Canada's and Quebec's needs, and 40 per cent
of Ontario's.
A rising share of those imports, 45 per cent, comes
from OPEC countries, primarily
Many Eastern Canadians heat their homes with oil.
... It turns out