Transcript Keystone XL Pipeline

Keystone XL Pipeline
Robert Jones
Mariah Wardius
Kimberly Hein
Matt Creazzo
Introductions
What is the keystone pipeline?
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Runs from Alberta
Canada to various US
states
Why is it controversial?
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Pipelines can burst and
spill
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Runs directly over large
and crucial aquifers
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Requires a large amount
of US investment
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Very low EROI (Energy
return on investment)
Requires a 7 billion dollar
US investment
830,00 additional barrels
of oil per day
For the pipeline!
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Could reduce gas prices at the pump
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Could create new jobs
○ According to Jack Gerard, president of the American Petrolium
Institute, It would create half a million jobs by 2035
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Pipeline proponents state that arguing over the energy cost of
extracting these tar sands is a moot point, if we don’t do it someone
else will anyway.
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This pipeline will take greater precautions than any other pipeline built
before it, including computer monitoring systems that detect small leaks
Source: http://epubs.utah.edu/index.php/jlrel/article/viewFile/795/600
Against the pipeline!
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Those opposing the pipeline argue that it will not reduce gas
prices, and will instead raise them
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By building this pipeline, we are becoming more dependant
on foreign oil
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Pipeline opposition argues that this pipeline would not create
a significant amount of jobs
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Tar sands are considered “dirty oil” they require much more
energy intensive extraction methods and are very polluting
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Passes over a massive and crucial midwest aquifer (seen in
next slide)
Source:
http://epubs.utah.edu/index.php/jlrel/article/viewFile/795/600
Somebody call Aquaman
That aquifers in
danger!
But think of the
money!
So why are we so worried?
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This graph shows us an
increase in the number of
oil spills reported, but a
reduction in the amount of
millions of gallons spilled.
This means we are
getting better at spill
response
Source:
http://www.epa.gov/osweroe1/d
ocs/oil/fss/fss04/etkin_04.pdf
So why are we so worried?
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Spills should technically never happen,
but humans are not perfect.
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The problem is we make mistakes ~
Dr. Kenneth Klemow 2014
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Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and other
disasters do occur
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The keystone pipeline is 36 inches in
diameter (this is important in the next
slide)
Kalamazoo!
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In 2010, the 30 inch
diameter pipe broke near
the city of Marshall,
Michigan
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Spilled over one million
gallons of crude oil into
the kalamazoo river
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The XL pipeline is 36
inches in diameter (6
inches larger)
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This river contained
wildlife (which the ogallala
aquifer would not)
Kalamazoo 2: Electric boogaloo
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An analysis of the drinking
water from the kalamazoo
river spill showed no long
term health effects to
humans
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Slightly increased amounts
of nickel and iron were all
the remained in human
drinking water
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Not enough of these
materials to be harmful
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The spill cleanup methods
cost 765 million dollars
Energy intensity and you
So
EROEI is energy returned on
energy invested which means
how much do we get back for
what we put in.
Tar sands have an EROEI of
about 5.25 , tar sand buried even
deeper than usual have an
EROEI of about 2.5
Sources:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421513003856
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130219/oil-sands-mining-tar-sandsalberta-canada-energy-return-on-investment-eroi-natural-gas-in-situ-dilbitbitumen
20 kwatts returned
1 Kwatt used
=
EROEI of 20
Which side is right?
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Both sides seem to be using
opposite sides of the same
arguments in their advantage
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This leads us to confusion as to
which side is correct
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The information is difficult to
analyze, and none of us can
perfectly predict the future
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Ultimately it is up to you to
choose which side you stand
for, and why
Me
Pipeline denied by senate
The senate recently voted against the pipeline with 59 in favor and 41
opposed, this ratio was not enough to pass the bill
Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2
014/11/19/us/politics/key
stone-xlpipeline.html?_r=0
Bibiliography
http://emmerson.csc.wilkes.edu:2138/science/article/pii/S030142151300253X
http://emmerson.csc.wilkes.edu:2138/science/article/pii/S0301421513007775
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142151300253X
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142151300253X
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142151300253X
http://www.texasenterprise.utexas.edu/article/how-and-why-republicans-killed-keystone-pipeline#sthash.5BXrVXUC.dpuf
http://geol105naturalhazards.voices.wooster.edu/tar-sands-oil-2/
http://geol105naturalhazards.voices.wooster.edu/tar-sands-oil-2/
Questions?