Photo by Cole Breiland

Don Thompson says that Alberta oil sands are black gold

Amy Szybalski

News Writer

“My message is that you are all key stake holders in this,” said Don Thompson in a lecture last Thursday entitled Setting the Record Straight. Thompson presented the various economic benefits and environmental challenges facing the future of one of Canada’s largest natural resources.

Thompson said the Alberta oil sands project was a key issue for students as it was a major factor in energy security, as well as the economy.

His talk greatly focused on the economic benefits of the project. He highlighted that the “oil sands are a great resource not only to Alberta, but to the people all across this country.”

People have flocked to Fort McMurray for the available jobs in construction, manufacturing, and the trades all associated with the mining and refinement of crude oil.

Why are so many jobs available? According to Thompson, “In the face of arguably one of the worst recessions I’ve ever known, my employer is spending 1.6 billion dollars to retrofit the technologies to limit emissions.”

These retrofits, and the development of the new technologies are the source of many of the available jobs.

In using new mining technology, such as in-situ technologies, the Oil Sands Developers Group has been able to limit the environmental impacts of the extraction process, and at the same time make a greater amount of the oil available for mining.

In-situ technologies do not require mine pits or tailings ponds, both of which present great environmental challenges. The technology also allows the company to gain access to oil reserves up to seventy meters deep.

That being said, the new technologies are not perfect. Emissions are still produced, and the final product is still a culprit in the production of carbon emissions as it is shipped across the world.

Thompson did point out that, “the oil sands industry has reduced its emissions intensity by more than 30% since 1990 and Alberta was the first jurisdiction in North America to legislate industrial green house gas emissions.”

When asked to comment on the environmental impact of the mines on the Lubicon Lake First Nations Reserve, Thompson skirted the question by denying that the oil sands development had any effect on the reserve. He argued that his company, as well as others, employed a great number of aboriginal people.