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The official rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline from the President has some interesting framing:
“As the State Department made clear last month, the rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline’s impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment,” said Obama. “As a result, the Secretary of State has recommended that the application be denied. And after reviewing the State Department’s report, I agree.”
Obama also sought to emphasize that he did not see the rejection as a definitive statement on the pipleine project itself. “This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people,” he said. “I’m disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my Administration’s commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil.”
So there’s a lot of reassurances there that the oil will keep flowing, just not out of this particular pipeline. And indeed, the Obama Administration has presided over record growth in oil production, which has predictably had no discernible effect on oil prices.
A lot of this is blame-gaming, with Obama trying to blame Republicans for the arbitrary deadline before Republicans blame him for destroying jobs in the energy sector. But considering that TransCanada, under the terms of this rejection, can re-apply for a pipeline permit, the nature of this rejection does suggest that a future plan could get approval down the road, given the proper amount of time for environmental review and routing.
Whether TransCanada goes that route isn’t yet clear. I will say one thing in praise of the coalition that stopped this pipeline for now, however. Like SOPA and PIPA, most observers believed that this pipeline was a done deal not very long ago. The activists worked on this, and got the President to delay a review until after the election. At that point, Republicans wanted to make it a political issue – more than they wanted a pipeline – so they forced the 60-day timeline that led to today’s rejection. But the activists did play this well, forcing the confrontation that blew up the deal. So good for them.
UPDATE: Full statement here.
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Excellent, yet why not add,
“we’ve notified our Canadian friends of our decision, so that they may make alternative plans as they choose without needless delay from here.”
Congrats to Bill, Jane, and everyone else who worked on the protest. Congrats is in order even for the OWS crowd who helped out, albeit tangentially.
I guess it worked, huh?
Whose ass are we going to kick next?
He has not allowed that rejection to go on record yet. Anyway, here is another oil shocker. Must read to the bottom of the article:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestoryamericas/2012/01/20121186253273366.html?utm_content=automateplus&utm_campaign=Trial6&utm_source=SocialFlow&utm_medium=MasterAccount&utm_term=tweets
LOL! I don’t know but I’m sending out Pitch Tar recipes for free! (wink)
Election. Season. Ploy.
Somebody’s running for reelection…
Just for context, here are maps of all the pipelines existing already.
Including the ones over the Ogallala Aquifer. Obviously current qualms are manufactured BS.
http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/2011/10/18/newsflash-pipelines-are-everywhere/
As usual, O’s statement makes no sense, since State Dept had already approved pipeline.
‘I’m against FISA (Keystone) before I’m for it!’
Obysmal is transparent alright. Electoral season anyone?
Explain this please:
Same. Old. Shit
Which part are you having difficulty with?
He may be transparent but according to the corporate media the hoi polloi think he’s just so likeable and what more is needed for reelection?
I think you’re being incredibly optimistic.
Do you mean the qualms of the people against the pipeline, or the qualms coming from the State Dept?
:-D
He means, what’s one more fucking pipeline?
Yeah, but I need some clarification. We need to talk about those existing ones.
Read O’s artfully crafted statement carefully. He’s not rejecting the pipeline at all, just rejecting an “arbitrary deadline” and deferring his decision.
For those who haven’t heard, it’s no longer eleven-dimensional chess. It’s now his “long game.”
Applying it to this case, it means that we’re likely to get fucked in the long run.
Of course! As others have said, immediately after elections he will find that the request is able to pass muster and therefore get the go ahead.
Shootster 420 has left the building.
“… a future plan could get approval down the road.”
No kidding — count on it happening after the election, regardless of who gets in.
ahuh, thankya thankya, uh huh.
Environmentalists.
Actually I like the line from Econobuzz…
“He means, what’s one more fucking pipeline?”
The biggest losers in this development are none other than the famous cock brothers. They are also getting their ass kicked in Wisconsin as we speak. This makes me very happy.
You don’t care for clean water, air, or plantable land?
Or we get fucked running. But either way….
And the short run.
Ah, yes! Those hippie environmentalists. If they were real Americans, they’d insist that people like Union Carbide not have to relocate to places like Bhopal, India in order to cut corners and maximize profit at the cost of safety. Why can’t we all be Somalia? THEY know how to create a business environment. Why, outside Somalia, piracy is almost unheard of.
For those who think Obama is just playing politics to get environmentalist votes you should remember that the Republicans will use this to win ‘hate Obama’ votes. Since the Republicans chose to just oppose there hasn’t been much Legislative work to do and simple campaigning prevails.
Whether the plan should go ahead for jobs is hard to say. Likewise the environmental risks could be bad. Possibly worst is rewarding Congressional TEA partiers for helping the Koch brothers. Similarly and ironically most Republicans don’t realize the oil will get refined and leave America immediately. All their fantasies about more domestic energy would go *poof* in a second. No, domestic energy must stay here and be cheaper than oil or gas if we’re to meet growing needs of the world and perhaps a shrinking supply when you consider Saudi oil is unpredictable and nuclear plants that are very old might not be able to continue.
Interstingly, NPR noted early in its report on this pipeline decision that the Canadian pipeline company had not yet developed its plans for avoiding the Ogallala (sp?) acquifer area, so it is actually impossible for any decision going forward to be made. Repubs knew this when they set up the talking point in their legislation. Sheesh.
NBC’s Brian Williams didn’t mention that particular detail at all in his intro and overview, but the reporter for the segment did note it toward the end of his spiel.
Now, Canada did ask for an expedited review of the reworked plans, when they become available, but State said they have to begin from the beginning with their basically new application. However, PBS NewsHour noted that the US refineries don’t need the oil for 10 years.
Lots of games from lots of players. Now Obama will probably approve the rework, or his successor will. But O will have a few weeks in January of 2013 to ties up some loose ends.
I do love that Repubs seem to have no concern about messing up a whole region’s water supply.
My only hope is that eleventy-dimensional chess gets so disorientating over the next year that Obysmal spends the next four years tending Michelle’s veggie garden, with lots of tender loving care,………… and with Michelle at the helm (see Woodrow Wilson and Mrs. Wilson). Twelvety-dimensional chess maybe?
Hope springs eternal. Yes We Can. Are You In?
They are lying about the jobs. Besides, how many people do you know of right now that work on watching the current pipelines we have? Would anybody be able to keep those gas lines that go boom and destroy houses from happening?
Also, remember when you hear politicians talking about our, “Strategic Interests” in foreign lands it means oil and minerals. Nothing else.
While Daily Kos suggests this is some major “Obama victory” because the Republicans, by insisting they get an answer so soon, ensured they would get a “no”. Of course back here in Realityland, this is a firm “Not now, I’m running for re-election”.
You don’t care about electricity, travel, heat, or cooking?
Considering the miles upon miles of previous pipeline, what makes this one so problematical?
I do care about all of those things.
Did you know that oil is slated to be shipped to China and not used here in the US? You might wish to read up on that stuff. THe reason they want the pipeline thru the US is to be refined in the Gulf, then put on a slow boat to China. Literally!
Shooter,
You might also should look up how much oil the US exported out of the country last year. Did you think the oil workers here in the US are no longer pumping?
The product. Which must be heated and then forced through under high pressure. Greater chance of a blowout and much greater chance of it being incredibly catastrophic. Read much?
No trick questions. LOLOL
Margaret,
Am I wrong, or does the pipeline also need to be heated for the sludge to flow?
If it does need to be heated, think of the amount of energy it’ll take to do that…
What I meant was does the product need to be continuously heated?
I’ve read that, but I do not have the education on the stuff. Margaret, however is very intelligent on those type things.
So good. We’re producing something China wants to buy for a change. There are jobs building the pipeline and jobs at the refinery. Margaret is quaking but that seems to be normal.
the reality is that there is no business anywhere, that doesn’t have negative externalities. Not even the “green” industries. There is no risk free way to make money, so unless you’re willing to live like a caveman, you’re going to have to take chances.
Yes. I said the product needed to be heated.
We ARE NOT producing it! We are being used to refine it, pipe it, and bear the costs both money wise and environmentally.
You have lost all credibility. Don’t even bother responding. You don’t try to inform yourself on the issues, nor participate in world affairs.
You shouldn’t take chances with other people’s lives and their ability to make a living. The farmers who own the land don’t want the pipeline crossing their fields but the PTB don’t care about that.
Thanks for the link.
Oh, and as for Margaret. She is not quaking. But honestly, if that volcano Margaret blows you will definitely feel it. Oh, and here is a translation for most of the responses to your foolishness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeWGSo17BAc&feature=related
Sorry Margaret, it was a dumb question.
I wonder what the cost per barrel would be to keep it hot enough to flow for 3000 miles. Seems that alone would be enough to squash the pipeline. Are there heating stations or would the entire length of the pipeline be heated? Any idea as to the method of heating?
Of course it wasn’t a dumb question. Obviously you just missed where I said it had to be heated. Not a prob. :)
EDIT: Forgot the second part: No I don’t know the nuts and bolts but I understand it costs so much that it is only marginally profitable shipping it via pipeline and not economical to ship any other way. Since the profit margin is so thin, look at them to maximize wherever possible, at whatever cost to safety.
That’s not the point, Shootster. The point is that the negative externalities have to be reflected in the price in order for the market to even approach being efficient and equitable.
Read much?
And iirc, the product needs to also be thinned with corrosive and highly toxic chemicals along with the heating to make it flow. No chance of anything going awry.
Right? What could happen?
To answer my own question:
The Cairn India pipeline in India is a dual pipeline.
The main line is 24” diameter. The crude is pumped through it. Running next to it is an 8” line. The 8” line will carry natural gas. The gas will be used to power 32 heating stations along the pipeline route.
GE is supplying Cairn India with its J420GSJenbacher gas engines.
The 32 engines, powered by natural gas supplied from the adjoining 8 inch diameter pipeline, will be used to generate power to maintain the fluidity of the waxy crude oil as it is transported.
I guess it could be a similar operation for the KeyStone XL. What a waste of energy to ship such a crude product…
http://pipelinesinternational.com/news/oil_pipeline_heats_up_in_india/008020/
Given a tough road to win re-election why did Obama not approve the pipeline. He will be hit hard on this all the way to election as costing tens of thousands of jobs. Does he think he can fight back as a friend of the environment? Is he dumb? Or something else?
I am very impressed with this groups ability to be negative. Very impressed.
If you frame this as a hundred thousand jobs (Boner did) versus environmental concerns, with 25 million unemployed, who wins that vote??
” Get ready little lady, hell is comin’ to breakfast.”
Lone Wati
Let us look at some other things about Canada , and the strip mining Alberta for tar.
There were 30,000 Canadians running out of fuel and supplies , because that ICE ROAD on TV did not freeze this January.
Last January Hudson Bay didn’t freeze til well into January.
2 summers in a row their grain harvest has been smashed because of epic rains.
In the last 15 years 50% the BC Forest is now standing dead. Enough wood to build 9 million homes.
In other words he’ll approve it after the election.
These are observed events.
Of course. He has to keep some people on the hook.
FaceBook – “What’s on your mind?”
Me – ” I’ll believe corporations are people , when Texas executes one of them. “
The oil field yardstick -
The Baker Hughes rig count
HOUSTON — The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. is down by 20 this week to 1,987.
The Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,191 rigs were exploring for oil and 791 for natural gas. Five were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week Baker Hughes reported 1,700 active rigs, 187 fewer than this year.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/13/4185745/weekly-us-oil-gas-rig-count-drops.html#storylink=cpy
We added 200 rigs to the fleet in a year, that’s about as fast as they can be built.
Because of the gas boom , a lot of these drills are big hole rigs. They are very big.
The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. A low of 488 was recorded in 1999.
The land based count only.
Interesting but the drilling companies are not making gold rush earnings. In fact their stocks are depressed.
Oops, I was commenting on water drillers.
When the Republicans required President Obama to make a decision in 60 days, you said this:
The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981.
I was willing member of this boom, I worked the smallest drills -
Here’s how I used to get to work -
http://colorado-bob.blogspot.com/2007/04/charlie-blaze.html
Gas Prices this winter have collapsed :
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/137539588.html#ixzz1jsELJWfJ
Yes, Obama is showing he still wants to do it. Obama has explicitly not rejected this on its merits, which I don’t see you contesting. Do you approve of Keystone or not?
That mind blowing heat in Texas never slowed down , here’s the last 30 days of US Records -
Max Highs vs Max Lows -
3,195 to 176
Min. Highs vs Min. Lows -
1249 to 170
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/records/
New heat records in the dark in January.
You predicted he would approve it within 60 days. You were wrong.
President Obama made a good and tough decision today. As Bill Mckibben said:
I oppose the Keystone Project.
It means money in their personal pockets from the extractive industries. This has nothing to do with anything except putting cash in some oil baron’s pocket.
As to to shooter above, he’s a paid troll whose ass has been handed to him so many times on this site you have to wonder if he can find it. Do not feed. He lives on shit, and his mouth is already full. And shooter, if you are listening, never, and I mean never, try to go head to head with me on economics or economic theory.
Not blocked. Delayed. This isn’t the final word. Not even Obama pretends that it is.
Exactly
Heh.
If I were a cynical sort I’d think that the whole thing is bipartisan kabuki. Obama and the GOP pretend Obama has rejected the TSP on the merits: Obama gets points with Progressives and the GOP gets to holler about job-killing socialists. The American People are the intended suckers, er, audience.
So you didn’t want him to block it now?
The Keystone pipeline is about 1500 miles long and it is claimed that 20,000 new construction & manufacturing jobs will be created.
That is about 13 jobs per mile of pipeline.
There are 2,300,000 miles of pipelines in the US. At 13 jobs per mile that is about 30,000,000 jobs.
Those areas of the US that currently have pipelines must have low unemployment and booming economies.
Bureau of Labor & Statistics data show that there are currently only 2,200,000 oil and gas industry jobs (including fields that support oil & gas) in the US (and 40% of these jobs are minimum wage gas station jobs).
Why don’t Obama, the Democrats & the media point out that 20,000 jobs is a lie?
Well if you don’t want it to be “not now, I’m running for re-election,” then compete at the same level as the oil and gas companies whose message and surrogates dominate the airways. How about big ad buys countering the “130,000 jobs” argument? How about plain speaking surrogates blanketing the mainstream media reinforcing the fact that we don’t get to keep the oil/gas so it’s not going to help with energy security. If you ask the man on the street, most would say Obama’s decision is a job killer. I certainly know that’s all I heard on the radio news yesterday.
I know your preference is for Obama to say we’re never going to build it, not now not ever. And then when he loses re-election, reversing that decision will probably be a “Day 1″ executive action of the new President. I’d rather take my chances on this issue with a second-term, no re-election Obama than a President Romney or Gingrich.