Markham on Energy

Coast Guard upgrades for West Coast address only half of oil spill response

Markham on Energy

What are Trudeau’s plans for industry side of West Coast oil spill response? The Canadian Government announced a $1.5 billion marine safety upgrade Monday and West Coast eco-activists were quick to complain the new plan almost guarantees a green light for the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Maybe, but if that’s true, why didn’t Prime Minister Justin Trudeau […]

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Trans Mountain Expansion ministerial report asks questions that have ready answers

Markham on Energy

A social, environmental, economic rationale for approving Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline does exist With the prospect of a green light for the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline within the next month, the release this past week of the ministerial panel report on the project was not the whitewash eco-activists expected – proving once again that the BC environmental

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Obama’s energy legacy a lesson in constraints of activist policy making

Markham on Energy

$250 billion/year oil and gas contribution to GDP, immature clean energy tech were real obstacles to Obama energy activism With Barack Obama headed out of the White House in a few months, the punditocracy is turning its attention to his legacy, including energy policy, which featured prominently in his second term. The central idea of

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Dakota Access protests poised to become political debacle for American oil and gas industry

Markham on Energy

Industry leaders, including Kelcy Warren, have mishandled Dakota Access pipeline protest right from the beginning Six weeks ago, I warned that the Dakota Access pipeline protest was going to be the next Keystone XL issue for the American oil and gas industry. I was wrong. It’s going to be much worse. Eco-activists have acknowledged that opposing

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Time for Canadian oil and gas industry to ignore Vivian Krause

Markham on Energy

Vivian Krause’s data is fine, but her conclusions are wrong and her work encourages industry to think of itself as a victim of American eco-activist money Vancouver blogger Vivian Krause is well known in the oil and gas industry for her work tracing the financial ties between American charities and Canadian environmental groups. But there are problems

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Is the Nathan E. Stewart diesel fuel spill response ‘world class’?

Markham on Energy

Nathan E. Stewart spill response appears to be timely, with enough equipment and trained responders, but Heiltsuk Nation critical Has the Nathan E. Stewart spill response been “world class?” British Columbians have been asking this question over the past week as responders have struggled with stormy weather near Bella Bella, 330 kms south of Prince Rupert. The

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Looming Clinton win suggests American oil and gas sector needs to rethink politics, narrative

Markham on Energy

Bernie Sanders, eco-activists would exert considerable influence in a Clinton Administration, Democratic Congress The American oil and gas industry supports Donald Trump in part because the Republican candidate promises to get the sector out from underneath the thumb of Obama Administration regulation. Well, hope for the best, prepare for the worst. With only a few

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Industry needs to own its mistakes in Dakota Access pipeline protest

Markham on Energy

Dakota Access pipeline protest has already become Keystone XL sequel – promises to be bigger and worse for industry Last weekend, someone burned construction equipment at an Iowa site of the halted Dakota Access pipeline project. A blazing bulldozer is the perfect metaphor for the raging tire fire that is industry’s handling of what has become the next

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Poll shows Canadians willing to support pipelines in return for energy transition policies

Markham on Energy

Polling response demonstrates once again that eco-activists and industry boosters are out of step with average Canadians What does social license for Canadian pipelines look like? If you’re Justin Trudeau, probably a lot like the recent Abacus Data poll in which 76% of respondents support building a pipeline while Ottawa puts in place “measures to encourage

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