Jingsamichty

After the shock caused by the financial crisis, I can't really see any real desire for North Americans to cut down on their fuel consumption - for all the lip-service, it seems to be 'business as usual' in terms of monstrous vehicle production or air travel.
So where is all this fuel coming from?

Many people on here have long been vocal - perhaps hypocritically so, in my opinion - about the Alberta oil sands development. "Dirty oil," they cry. "We only like clean oil."

Given the massive scale of ecological damage caused by the failure of just one of these platforms - and there are approximately 4,000 in the Gulf of Mexico alone - and remembering the damage that can occur when using tankers to ship oil (Exxon Valdez et al) what are folks' opinions now on the relative "cleanliness" of the sources of oil that is so wastefully consumed in North America?

dbd33

It's just a choice of one disaster versus another. Northern Alberta wasn't ever an attractive place so the destruction there isn't as emotionally compelling as oil spills hitting coastlines but it's equally destructive.

Steve_P

Interesting that you should post this today.

I was just this morning thinking how dirty does the Alberta oil sands look in light of this Gulf of Mexico incident.

Regarding the fuel consumption issue we recently drove down to Las Vegas from Calgary and was surprised at the number of large SUV types passing us on I-15 at speeds well in excess of the 75mph posted limit. Miles per gallon certainly didn't appear to be an issue.

R I C H

The practicalities of (my) life determine a car to commute in (smallish hatchback) and an SUV to tow a boat. Until a government or the lack of mineral resources makes it unaffordable for me to run those vehicles I'll continue to do so.

I thought long and hard about what transport was most suitable taking into account factors like running costs, depreciation, and lifestyle, and I think I made reasonable choices, perhaps not the most environmentally friendly, but certainly not the worst.

It's difficult to get emotional about the relative cleanliness of the oil resource. So many consumer items use oil in their production and the consumer has no idea about the source of the oil. While we have the choice to consume products, but a lack of ability to understand their manufacturing values, as Jingsamichty said, it'd be somewhat hypocritical to decry some of the oil developments.

Caitilin

I have an old, small car. The smallness is offset by its inefficiency, so its not a particularly great car, but its what I can afford.

For long distances, I carpool. As to what it looks like, I assume oil from whatever source comes with environmental destruction of some kind, and i'd rather keep it for the things we need more, like plastic, and applaud the use of wind generators. Driving through the crowsnest pass it was lovely to see a good many of them, but a good many of them were stopped?!

dbd33

What the spill will do, I think, is to slow down the pace of expansion of offshore drilling in the US. Obama's legalisation of drilling looks to have been a poor decision now. Schwarzenegger's less at political risk but I don't suppose he'll press ahead with drilling off California.

Atlantic Xpat

I'm pretty much with RICH on this one. We run a small relatively fuel efficiency hatchback (Kia Soul) which the Mrs drives and we use for most general transportation. I run a SUV, albeit with a measly 2.7 L engine, for transportation and to tow a utility trailer containg my 500c ATV. Whilst I can afford fuel for both, I will continue to run them both.

dbd33

I loath wind generators and fail to see how they are in any way an environmentally sensible option; the area of the wind turbines is rendered as attractive as the oil sands for the sake of generating miniscule amounts of power.

ExKiwilass

Bingo.

There's been discussion of drilling for oil off BC's coast. Hopefully this accident will put that to bed for a while.

We don't have a car but we live somewhere where it's possible to live without one. I'm now resigned to the fact that we'll just keep on going until the oil runs out and civilisation falls apart. Just like every other society from the year dot.

Atlantic Xpat

Eh? Name another society, from the year dot or any other time, that has lived through oil running out?

Market forces will dictate that alternatives present themselves. The end of civilisation as we know it would be awfully bad for business. Personally I'm looking forward to having a Mr Fusion under the hood of my car.

iaink

Wasnt the "Dirty" oil thing related to the vast amount of energy each barrel takes to produce, rather than anything more emotive or aesthetic.

Tar sand oil is a problem because it requires lots of resources to produce, and one platform failing or a tanker running aground doesnt change that.

But neither argument will stop people driving dirty great V8s and the like here, and no politiician will take the chance on legislating against them, so Im pretty pesimisitic about the whole thing, no matter which way you look at it.

Atlantic Xpat

Absolutely. If we truly want to husband our diminishing oil resources, governments everywhere need to step in and mandate fuel efficiency standards. But they never will. Bang goes trucks, suv's, all forms of petrol powered recreation - boats, skidoo's, atv's, recreational and non essential flight etc etc. Then we need to move onto hydrocarbons consumed by the materials that make up our lifestyle, so no more plastics. Can anyone see that happening?

dbd33

If those "dirty great V8s" are in SUVs then I think they're getting a bum rap. SUVs are an urban phenomenon, "Chelsea Tractor" is apt. Since people living in cities drive less than those in rural areas the overall effective all those Yukon owners taking the children two blocks to school is likely no different than that of rural residents running around in rear wheel drive saloon cars. Trucks are a bit different, rural people usually have trucks and will combine a large engine with a lot of miles driven, but there's something of a case for having a truck, almost a need.

CanadaJimmy

The bubble has to burst soon. I can't help but wonder if by the time I can afford to own a car there won't be any oil left! Also what about LEGO... thats made from a diesel byproduct... the world won't be the same without that =(

Atlantic Xpat

What the spill should do is prompt a re-examination of the technologies and capabilities in managing deep wells. e.g. will a blow out preventer really work in 5000ft of water? It should also provoke a review of safety, regulation and operating practices on rigs.

I've been amused by recent coverage of Atlantic Canada's preparedness for a similar thing happening offshore Newfoundland. (For example Chevron start drilling a well at a similar depth in the next month or so). 'Oh we've got the resources and expertise' says everyone from Danny Williams to the coastguard and Steve H. Bollocks we have. If the mighty resources of the worlds largest offshore oil sector/location can't cope, Canada has no hope. If anything happens offshore here the saving grace (and I used the term advisedly) will be that it's a long way offshore, the seas are rougher and the prevailing winds and current will take the slick further out into the Atlantic. That's alright then.