Fighting development and progress is a fool’s game. The world will advance and progress despite all the protests and conflict. The selling and shipping of the Tar Sands crude oil is no different, it will happen. The only impact the citizens of Canada can hope to have on the development is on the method of production, sales and shipping.

The first choice should be refining the crude bitumen ourselves right next to the Tar Sands and then selling the refined product by containers. Just like all other raw resource products the financial losses of selling it then buying back the finished or refined product is not in the best interests of any nation, in this case Canada.

If we cannot convince or demand the oil companies build a refinery, then we should only sell and ship the raw crude by rail; in the same manner the condensate is delivered to Alberta from the Northwest Ports in BC, but with one small responsible change.

The rail cars currently used to deliver condensate (and available to ship crude) should be modified so that they are detachable from the wheels and made stackable like Lego blocks. This modification should completely envelope the container in a second skin (similar to a double hulled tanker). This would assist in preventing spillage during an inevitable derailment. The tanker containers would be stacked aboard a vessel just like the Costco containers are stacked at the Port of Prince Rupert today. The entire infrastructure is already in place. It is all just very under utilized. There is plenty of room for expansion. The Port still has more phases to open.

Then the condensate can come in on the same containers, the crude goes out in, fully utilizing these containers, the Port and the rail line. CN has stated they have the rail capacity today to ship ten times the quantity of crude the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline is presently designed to handle. To pump the bitumen through the pipeline they would need to import more condensate to thin it out so the raw thick product will flow through the pipe.

Shipping in containers by rail would ultimately open up Canada's product to even more markets. Currently the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline will be fully subscribed by those who pay to have it built. No other future market becomes available or can get in on the supply unless they buy from the third party who subscribed to the capacity.

If it was sold it by the container (rail tanker), no one purchaser would have to commit to a long term purchase subscription and any purchaser could then limit or expand their purchases to meet their requirements.

Finally, the best part of this concept is; should the tanker run aground or split open in high seas (another inevitable occurrence), all the crude is contained within secured containers. The clean up would involve sending out barges with a crane to pick up the floating, (or sunk) containers. Between the production facilities (Tar Sands etc) and the final destination (China or USA refineries) the petroleum product is never exposed to any environment. No tank farms, no pumping stations, no opportunity for spillage, big or small.

The Port of Prince Rupert can handle the largest container ships in the world. In fact a new extra large container vessel was just completed making its first call in Prince Rupert in April, 2011.

A better fight, a better use of energy by the various environmental and protest groups is not objecting to the production and shipment of oil, bitumen or refined. Standing firm and resolved in complete and absolute rejection of any and all shipping of Canada’s Tar Sands oil will attract an equal and opposite rejection and forceful implementation of the plan already in place.

Like any negotiation, union/labour, business/government, contractor/homeowner, all parties must respect each other and understand the base objective, offering alternative methods so each can find a measure of success.

Offering a responsible plan that allows the proponent to achieve their goals while respecting and protecting the opponent’s goals and then sitting down to work out the details is the only true method of resolving any dispute. Currently, in regards to Enbridge, this has not happened.

Double skinning the rail tankers and incorporating them as detachable and stackable units could begin today. By years end all of the condensate could be rolling on CN’s tracks in these newly modified containers and new container vessels secured for cross oceanic cargo. The customers and suppliers, wherever they are in the globe, could begin modifying their operations to meet this new standard. The condensate will still be required to be imported as it is currently added to the raw bitumen for shipping in the North American pipelines already in use today.

As the years progress and the export sales increase, CN could begin reinforcing the rail bed and double tracking the line between the Princes’; George and Rupert.

While the environmentalists and social activists stomp their feet and yell, Hell No, the Canadian Government develops plans to infiltrate and discredit the entire lot. The next move will be military style protection for the contractors building the pipeline and facilities just as has been done all across the globe. The Canadian Military conducted an exercise last year with the local rangers utilizing local choppers and boats in the mountains and Douglas Channel to coordinate methods of communication and work style. Fighting this is not an option. The only option is offering an option.


LINKS TO IMPORTANT AND RELEVENT INFORMATION

Oil Tankers - The best in the world are stress rated for one or two North Pacific Voyages. MORE HERE

Military Exercise in 2010 during the Joint Review Panel Hearings on Enbridge at Kitimat. MORE HERE and HERE.

See the April 2009 derailment report on the Terrace Daily HERE.

The Everything Enbridge Section can be found by CLICKING HERE.