Penner
09-01-2007, 09:17 PM
Preliminary for now but let's cross our fingers and hope this all comes true. :ashamed:
Page: 7 Edmonton Sun
By: NEIL WAUGH
Dick Todd has been heating up his website with happy news lately.
The CEO and head suit of the Oil Sands Underground Mining Corp. let it all hang out when he boasted about being "positioned to become a leader in the production of bitumen and heavy oil in Canada."
And insisted the company has "1.7 billion barrels of recoverable resources."
Of course OSUM brass can claim anything they want without getting into trouble with the securities cops. It's a private company.
The website talks about the company's "highly successful" land acquisition strategy, including the 9.5 sections of heavy oil play in the Cold Lake area. Mostly under picturesque Marie Lake, where OSUM has triggered a vigorous Not In My Back Yard movement among cottage owners, who - along with their veteran PC MLA Denis Ducharme - became enraged when Sustainable Resource Development Minister Ted Morton issued seismic testing permits to Todd's outfit. That's to begin the recovery process for oil that's only 660 metres under the lake.
A Marie Lake protest group showed up at Stelmach's Fort Saskatchewan constituency office yesterday to deliver a manifesto to the premier. He wasn't in. But he's sure paying attention.
OSUM's blurb insists the controversial mining operation "offers a way to ensure that the necessary resources don't go to waste."
Since the enhanced recovery project probably qualifies for the Tories' goofy penny-on-the-dollar royalty freebie, little of the proceeds from this "waste" will likely end up with the government until the massive plant is paid out. What a deal.
Now it appears the premier is having second thoughts. Especially after Ducharme's bitter comments that "everything is for sale in Alberta" hit home. And with other landowner protests underway - including three in Stelmach's own riding - the cumulative effects are starting to worry the Tories.
Things are about to change. Which is not going to please the oil company execs.
Yesterday, the premier got the ball rolling when he announced a curious meeting scheduled with Ducharme and Morton next week. Energy Minister Mel Knight appears to have been left off the guest list.
The premier wants to "make sure all the questions from the MLA and from the public" are answered.
And while he said the SRD seismic permit runs from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15, he also noted that OSUM has to do "some significant environmental tests and studies" before any tests take place.
"We're going to go through some of the questions that people say have not been answered," Stelmach scowled.
If Dick Todd isn't worried now he should be.
The oil execs who've had it their own way for too long are soon going to be hearing a lot about cumulative effects. In fact the final touches are being put on a new Cumulative Effects Strategy which last spring's throne speech described as a "new era in managing the overall effects of development."
And it will bring together the Water for Life, Climate Change and Land Use Framework strategies under one hammer.
It will specifically address what's the best use for land. Especially prime recreational property like Marie Lake. Heck, Marie Lake could eventually end up in the expanded Lakeland Country plan.
Another of Stelmach's quality of life initiatives.
Denis Ducharme is pleased. But he's not about to put down his dukes. "What has to happen, the government has to do a complete review of the procedures and policies we have in place in regards to petroleum lands sales," he said. "There has to be a recognition of people's quality of life."
"I guess I'll have to dig up all my skills in my past life," winked the former truck salesman. "And present them at the table."
I'll take a country truck yard guy over a Calgary oil company suit any day.
All that's apparently being kicked around now is how much OSUM's lawyers will squawk. But getting into a legal hissing match with the Alberta government when you're in the energy business is about as dumb as it gets.
It looks like the OSUM deal could be done like dinner by next week.
Page: 7 Edmonton Sun
By: NEIL WAUGH
Dick Todd has been heating up his website with happy news lately.
The CEO and head suit of the Oil Sands Underground Mining Corp. let it all hang out when he boasted about being "positioned to become a leader in the production of bitumen and heavy oil in Canada."
And insisted the company has "1.7 billion barrels of recoverable resources."
Of course OSUM brass can claim anything they want without getting into trouble with the securities cops. It's a private company.
The website talks about the company's "highly successful" land acquisition strategy, including the 9.5 sections of heavy oil play in the Cold Lake area. Mostly under picturesque Marie Lake, where OSUM has triggered a vigorous Not In My Back Yard movement among cottage owners, who - along with their veteran PC MLA Denis Ducharme - became enraged when Sustainable Resource Development Minister Ted Morton issued seismic testing permits to Todd's outfit. That's to begin the recovery process for oil that's only 660 metres under the lake.
A Marie Lake protest group showed up at Stelmach's Fort Saskatchewan constituency office yesterday to deliver a manifesto to the premier. He wasn't in. But he's sure paying attention.
OSUM's blurb insists the controversial mining operation "offers a way to ensure that the necessary resources don't go to waste."
Since the enhanced recovery project probably qualifies for the Tories' goofy penny-on-the-dollar royalty freebie, little of the proceeds from this "waste" will likely end up with the government until the massive plant is paid out. What a deal.
Now it appears the premier is having second thoughts. Especially after Ducharme's bitter comments that "everything is for sale in Alberta" hit home. And with other landowner protests underway - including three in Stelmach's own riding - the cumulative effects are starting to worry the Tories.
Things are about to change. Which is not going to please the oil company execs.
Yesterday, the premier got the ball rolling when he announced a curious meeting scheduled with Ducharme and Morton next week. Energy Minister Mel Knight appears to have been left off the guest list.
The premier wants to "make sure all the questions from the MLA and from the public" are answered.
And while he said the SRD seismic permit runs from Sept. 15 to Nov. 15, he also noted that OSUM has to do "some significant environmental tests and studies" before any tests take place.
"We're going to go through some of the questions that people say have not been answered," Stelmach scowled.
If Dick Todd isn't worried now he should be.
The oil execs who've had it their own way for too long are soon going to be hearing a lot about cumulative effects. In fact the final touches are being put on a new Cumulative Effects Strategy which last spring's throne speech described as a "new era in managing the overall effects of development."
And it will bring together the Water for Life, Climate Change and Land Use Framework strategies under one hammer.
It will specifically address what's the best use for land. Especially prime recreational property like Marie Lake. Heck, Marie Lake could eventually end up in the expanded Lakeland Country plan.
Another of Stelmach's quality of life initiatives.
Denis Ducharme is pleased. But he's not about to put down his dukes. "What has to happen, the government has to do a complete review of the procedures and policies we have in place in regards to petroleum lands sales," he said. "There has to be a recognition of people's quality of life."
"I guess I'll have to dig up all my skills in my past life," winked the former truck salesman. "And present them at the table."
I'll take a country truck yard guy over a Calgary oil company suit any day.
All that's apparently being kicked around now is how much OSUM's lawyers will squawk. But getting into a legal hissing match with the Alberta government when you're in the energy business is about as dumb as it gets.
It looks like the OSUM deal could be done like dinner by next week.