tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post4809390586569569333..comments2024-02-23T11:23:45.971-05:00Comments on Lost Motorcyclist: How Is Oil Sand Sludge "Essentially Like Yogurt"?Lost Motorcyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08873504561959138792noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-38737593643244549392010-12-02T06:55:40.961-05:002010-12-02T06:55:40.961-05:00From this detailed scientific study:
'A tar sa...From this detailed <a href="http://www.globalforestwatch.ca/climateandforests/TarsandsPollute/Timoney_and_Lee_TOConBJ.pdf" rel="nofollow">scientific study</a>:<br />'<i>A tar sand tailings pond contains the residue or tails left after bitumen is extracted from the sand, which consists of process water, sand, fines (silts and clays), residual bitumen (1-5%), and associated chemicals. [...] A shallow layer of process water covers the pond which overlies fine tailings that become more consolidated with depth.</i>'<br /><br />I believe that photo you've referenced was originally published by the <a href="http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/2634123.bin?size=620x400" rel="nofollow">Edmonton Journal</a> and is, in fact, a photo of a duck at Syncrude's Aurora tailings pond.Madeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593933575568389288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-87141947992249099162010-12-01T16:34:44.183-05:002010-12-01T16:34:44.183-05:00Water, sand, silt, clay, and some residual bitumen...Water, sand, silt, clay, and some residual bitumen, is that is what they were saying was like yogurt?<br /><br />I am just wondering if there is some confusion between an oil spill and a tailings dump. When I was looking for a picture of a bird, I rejected at least one that said it was a file photo from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. But the picture I used, said "Duck in Syncrude tar sands tailing pond"Lost Motorcyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873504561959138792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-37295678522854483622010-12-01T15:32:14.190-05:002010-12-01T15:32:14.190-05:00Evidently the efforts of the CAPP have not been ve...Evidently the efforts of the <a href="http://www.capp.ca/environmentCommunity/land/Pages/TailingsPonds.aspx#yJsnPgQBEfqf" rel="nofollow">CAPP</a> have not been very successful in persuading <i>you</i> that those tailings ponds are, in the end, not really that much of a problem!<br /><br />CAPP's PR flacks are working overtime to counter the negative publicity, especially from efforts such as the American <a href="http://www.earthworksaction.org/nde_launch2.cfm" rel="nofollow">No Dirty Energy</a> campaign. (Perceptive readers may well notice that most of those campaigns persist in the use of the term 'Tar Sands' - a term largely abolished from the Canadian discussions in favour of 'Oil Sands'.)<br /><br />But, seriously, those tailings ponds merely contain water, sand, silt, clay and some residual bitumen from the extraction processes. All pretty much harmless - as long you don't come in contact with it. But if you do, you'll have to deal with the effects of things like naphthenic acids, ammonia, benzene, toluene, creosols, asphaltene, phenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and various heavy metals, such as arsenic, zirconium, titanium and lead, which are also present in that soup.<br /><br />Perhaps we should say that the tailings ponds are also fine, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/11/14/edmonton-tailings-pond-cnrl.html" rel="nofollow">except when the dikes rupture</a>. Then you better stay clear of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/08/30/oil-sands-athabasca-river.html" rel="nofollow">the water in the Athabasca River</a> as well.<br /><br />As an example of just how outrageous this whole thing is, consider <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2010/11/30/f-oilsands-tailings-recovery.html" rel="nofollow">this 'breakthrough technology'</a> which brags of being able to recover <b>50-70%</b> of heavy metals and solvents. <br /><br />Yeah, but ... what about the <i>other</i> 30-50%. Explain that one to me, CAPP.Madeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593933575568389288noreply@blogger.com