[R-G] Greenpeace protest targets Syncrude oil sands mine

[Anthony Fenton]

Greenpeace protest targets Syncrude oil sands mine
Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:03am BST
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN2450928120080724

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Greenpeace protesters targeted a waste- 
water pipe at a Syncrude Canada Ltd oil sands project on Thursday,  
demanding a halt to rising crude production in the region, which they  
say is devastating the environment.

Greenpeace said in a release that protesters put a cap on the pipe to  
a toxic waste-water pond at the Aurora North mine at Syncrude's  
project site near Fort McMurray in northern Alberta.

They also raised a banner that read "World's Dirtiest Oil: Stop the  
Tar Sands," and put a skull-and-crossbones flag atop yet another pipe  
into the tailings pond.

Syncrude said the incident did not interfere with its operations, but  
added that the protesters broke into the area though a locked gate.

"While we encourage debate and dialogue about the environmental  
impacts of oil sands development, we do expect it to be conducted in a  
lawful and professional manner," Tom Katinas, Syncrude's chief  
executive said in a release.

Greenpeace said 11 protesters were arrested by police, ticketed for  
trespassing and released.

The environmental group is calling for the Alberta government to stop  
approving new projects to exploit the region's massive oil sands,  
which hold the biggest petroleum reserves outside the Middle East.

Oil companies are expected to spend more than C$100 billion to nearly  
triple production from the region -- to more than 3 million barrels  
day -- by 2015.

"It's time for the government to step in and start saying no to these  
companies and to put the brakes on development," said Mike Hudema, a  
tar sands campaigner at Greenpeace.

The tailings pond at the Aurora North mine owned by Syncrude, the  
biggest oil sands producer, focused global attention on the  
environmental costs of extracting the region's tar-like bitumen  
deposits when 500 ducks died after landing on the waste-water pond  
earlier this year.

Heavy metals and other toxins are a byproduct when the bitumen is  
separated from the oil sands using water, which is sent to settle in  
the huge tailings ponds.

Alberta regulators plan to tighten rules for the toxic ponds,  
requiring developers of oil sands projects to prepare operations and  
abandonment plans and submit them for review.

The province would also force companies to file schedules for pond  
construction, use, closure and other milestones with regulators, or  
face penalties if the rules are broken.

However Greenpeace is also calling for rules requiring the clean-up of  
existing tailings ponds and stiffer penalties for environmental  
infractions.

Syncrude is a joint venture owned by Canadian Oil Sands Trust,  
Imperial Oil Ltd, Petro-Canada, ConocoPhillips, Nexen Inc, Nippon Oil  
Corp unit Mocal Energy Ltd. and Murphy Oil Corp.

(Reporting by Scott Haggett; editing by Rob Wilson)