The oil tankers to be used near the Port of Vancouver to transport oil from the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, are definitely large. However, some groups are claiming that are massive super tankers the we need to be terrified of. Aframax tankers is what will be used and they […]
The current Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline debacle agonizingly demonstrates that even medium scale infrastructure projects are easily stalemated in Canada. This has scared away vast sums of foreign direct investment as investors look for easier, more reliable places to put their money. This is a crisis and it appears […]
UPDATE: Sept 14 2018 – We just added new TMX articles you will find interesting: How Big Is The Pipe In The Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion? How Big Are the Oil Tankers Heading to BC To Take Oil From Trans Mountain Pipeline? Are Oil Tanker Spills Getting Worse? Spill Statistics […]
Many people, and politicians (which are also people 🙂 ) have suggested that Alberta cut off the oil supply to British Colombia in an effort to punish the BC Premier, John Horgan. While that is one possibility, there are other things that can be done.
Some options are reasonable, some are draconian and some of them are just not possible.
Here are most of the options available to Alberta:
Not Buy Electricity From BC – This is doable and in fact has already started
Should the Province of Alberta buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline from Kinder-Morgan if they want to walk away from the project? That question was posed to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley today and she responded with an emphatic ‘Yes!’.
It has become abundantly clear, whether you are for or opposed to this particular pipeline or not, that having the relatively simple twinning of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline fail to be built would signify the end of even medium scale infrastructure projects in Canada.
There will always be interest groups and affected people that have some legitimate claim against a large project. The standard for projects should not be keeping everyone happy. The standard for infrastructure projects MUST be if they are in the national interest. That national interest contains a giant list important factors including:
Having worked at a few pipeline companies, I know they take safety and spills very seriously but we see pipeline bursts and their resulting spills with frequency in the news so the question lingers: Are pipelines safe?
Let’s start by stating an obvious fact that no-one WANTS a pipeline or any other serious infrastructure (power lines, rail lines, highways…) in their back yard but without such infrastructure our modern world would grind to a halt. If we can agree on that as a fact, and not an opinion, we can rationally consider pipeline safety.
The factors determining the safety of any pipeline compared to rail or trucking are also obvious and visually undeniable. Below is a simple chart outlining some of the risk factors that go into transporting liquids and gases:
| Factor | Pipeline | Pipe Score | Train | Train Score |
| Above/Below Ground | Burried | 1 | Above Ground | 8 |
| Visibility | Very Low | 1 | Very High | 8 |
| Connections | Few | 1 | Many | 8 |
| Human Error Likelihood | Nearly Zero | 1 | Constant | 6 |
| Intentional Damage Likelihood | Very Low | 1 | Moderate | 5 |
| Easy of Stopping Leak | Very Easy | 1 | Very Difficult | 6 |
| Volume | Very High | 9 | Low | 3 |
| 24 Hr Monitoring | Excellent | 1 | Minimal | 8 |
| 16 | 52 |
As someone who held a Fisker preorder, I was truly saddened to see that on March 27th 2024 Fisker published this ominous press release which almost certainly signals an impending bankruptcy: Fisker Inc. (“Fisker”), driven by a mission to create the world’s most emotional and sustainable electric vehicles, today announced […]
In a recent interview on Autoline After Hours, the head of Stellantis’ (Chrysler, Jeep, RAM, Dodge, Fiat, Pugeot, Citroen, Lancia, Opel…) propulsion systems, Mickey Bly, explains that forthcoming 2025 RAM Charger EV Pickup Truck concept came from the Chevy Volt program. MICKEY BLY: So there’s other concepts out there we’re […]
We just finished reading Paul Sharre’s excellent book, Four Battlegrounds, in which he considers how artificial intelligence is not just fueling but causing a new industrial military complex. Scharre takes readers inside the fierce competition to develop and implement this game-changing technology. He explores the ways AI systems are already […]
Stellantis (which is the new company formed when Peugeot bought Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, Dodge) is killing it! Really. While they may be one of the most profitable car company in the world thanks to the RAM 1500, Stellantis also has more than few products they just can’t move off […]
In this compelling video, we dive deep into the Tesla bear case presented by Gordon Johnson of GLJ Research. Is Tesla’s future truly in jeopardy? Join us as we thoroughly dissect the arguments against Tesla’s success and provide a counter perspective that challenges the bearish outlook. Key Points Covered: Whether […]
Like all everyone else, we are inundated with scammers trying to take advantage of us, most of which blow off. However, there is one scam that is so dastardly as to cause rational well adjusted people to commit suicide. Sextortion is the worst or worst scams. Sextortion happens when someone […]
In this video, we’re diving deep into the world of electric vehicle charging with an in-depth review, unboxing, and testing of the Vevor Level 2 EV Charger. If you’re an EV enthusiast or a conscientious driver looking to make the switch to sustainable transportation, you’re in for a treat. 0:00 […]
Apple devices have become a part of almost everyone’s life. They offer endless entertainment and productivity possibilities, so they are a popular choice. Yet, how does one tap into its limitless potential? YouTube is the solution. It has become a treasure trove of knowledge. Creators from all over the world […]