“The AER estimates over $45 billion in remediation and reclamation liabilities in the oilsands. This number may be a dramatic underestimate, with figures in leaked, official presentations suggesting as much as $130 billion in liabilities covered by less than $2 billion in security deposits,” University of Calgary School of Public Policy researchers Martin Olszynski, Andrew Leach, Drew Yewchuk wrote in a recent paper.

  • Track_Shovel
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    11 months ago

    To To put this in perspective, Giant Mine and Faro mine, which are much, much smaller mines, have cleanup bills around 4-5 billion.

    Albertans have gone all in on difficult to extract oil that is sold at discount… On a market that’s controlled by a cartel [OPEC].

    E: Faro mine is 25 km2 in size. the current mineable footprint for the oil sands 1,030 km2 in size.

    • Sir_Osis_of_Liver
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      711 months ago

      Just to add another one, the Sydney Tar Ponds covered 102 hectares (1.02 km^2) and cost $400M (2013) to clean up.

      • Track_Shovel
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        311 months ago

        One of the Tailings ponds I’m familiar with is 9 km x 6 km in size…54km2

  • @[email protected]
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    911 months ago

    In other news: Alberta is soon to become a have not province, citizens will finally stop complaining about the Equalization program!

    • Bonehead
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      711 months ago

      Don’t kid yourself…they’ll still complain about equalization payments, it’ll just be that they don’t get enough.