Wind turbines near Pincher Creek, Calgary
Letter from Canada: Alberta concedes to energy transition
The region’s hydrocarbons sector grudgingly accepts the inevitable rise of low-carbon energy, and the government is taking steps not to be left out
The Alberta government and the province’s all-important oil and gas industry have been slow to accept the way the world is changing. Despite the US shale gas revolution bringing an end to sky-high gas prices at the end of the 2000s and the US light-tight oil revolution doing much the same for oil prices by the middle of last decade, the province has widely snubbed decarbonisation efforts. The provincial government and the oil sands industry have refused to accept the threat posed by the global climate movement, with some irrationally attacking the science supporting it and anyone who accepts it—including the Canadian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 40p
Also in this section
21 February 2025
While large-scale planned LNG schemes in sub-Saharan Africa have faced fresh problems, FLNG projects are stepping into that space
20 February 2025
Greater social mobility means increased global demand for refined fuels and petrochemical products, with Asia leading the way in the expansion of refining capacity
19 February 2025
The EU would do well to ease its gas storage requirements to avoid heavy purchase costs this summer, with the targets having created market distortion while giving sellers a significant advantage over buyers
18 February 2025
Deliveries to China decline by around 1m b/d from move to curb crude exports to Shandong port, putting Iran under further economic pressure
