Robert Jones Mariah Wardius Kimberly Hein Matt Creazzo Keystone XL Pipeline Robert Jones Mariah Wardius Kimberly Hein Matt Creazzo

Introductions What is the keystone pipeline? Runs from Alberta Canada to various US states Requires a 7 billion dollar US investment 830,00 additional barrels of oil per day Why is it controversial? Pipelines can burst and spill Runs directly over large and crucial aquifers Requires a large amount of US investment Very low EROI (Energy return on investment)

For the pipeline! Could reduce gas prices at the pump Could create new jobs According to Jack Gerard, president of the American Petrolium Institute, It would create half a million jobs by 2035 Pipeline proponents state that arguing over the energy cost of extracting these tar sands is a moot point, if we don’t do it someone else will anyway. This pipeline will take greater precautions than any other pipeline built before it, including computer monitoring systems that detect small leaks Source: http://epubs.utah.edu/index.php/jlrel/article/viewFile/795/600

Against the pipeline! Those opposing the pipeline argue that it will not reduce gas prices, and will instead raise them By building this pipeline, we are becoming more dependant on foreign oil Pipeline opposition argues that this pipeline would not create a significant amount of jobs Tar sands are considered “dirty oil” they require much more energy intensive extraction methods and are very polluting Passes over a massive and crucial midwest aquifer (seen in next slide) Source: http://epubs.utah.edu/index.php/jlrel/article/viewFile/795/600

Somebody call Aquaman That aquifers in danger! But think of the money!

So why are we so worried? This graph shows us an increase in the number of oil spills reported, but a reduction in the amount of millions of gallons spilled. This means we are getting better at spill response Source: http://www.epa.gov/osweroe1/docs/oil/fss/fss04/etkin_04.pdf

So why are we so worried? Spills should technically never happen, but humans are not perfect. The problem is we make mistakes ~ Dr. Kenneth Klemow 2014 Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and other disasters do occur The keystone pipeline is 36 inches in diameter (this is important in the next slide)

Kalamazoo! In 2010, the 30 inch diameter pipe broke near the city of Marshall, Michigan Spilled over one million gallons of crude oil into the kalamazoo river The XL pipeline is 36 inches in diameter (6 inches larger) This river contained wildlife (which the ogallala aquifer would not)

Kalamazoo 2: Electric boogaloo An analysis of the drinking water from the kalamazoo river spill showed no long term health effects to humans Slightly increased amounts of nickel and iron were all the remained in human drinking water Not enough of these materials to be harmful The spill cleanup methods cost 765 million dollars

Energy intensity and you 20 kwatts returned 1 Kwatt used So = EROEI of 20 EROEI is energy returned on energy invested which means how much do we get back for what we put in. Tar sands have an EROEI of about 5.25 , tar sand buried even deeper than usual have an EROEI of about 2.5 Sources: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421513003856 http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130219/oil-sands-mining-tar-sands-alberta-canada-energy-return-on-investment-eroi-natural-gas-in-situ-dilbit-bitumen

Which side is right? Both sides seem to be using opposite sides of the same arguments in their advantage This leads us to confusion as to which side is correct The information is difficult to analyze, and none of us can perfectly predict the future Ultimately it is up to you to choose which side you stand for, and why Me

Pipeline denied by senate The senate recently voted against the pipeline with 59 in favor and 41 opposed, this ratio was not enough to pass the bill Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/us/politics/keystone-xl-pipeline.html?_r=0

Bibiliography http://emmerson.csc.wilkes.edu:2138/science/article/pii/S030142151300253X http://emmerson.csc.wilkes.edu:2138/science/article/pii/S0301421513007775 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142151300253X http://www.texasenterprise.utexas.edu/article/how-and-why-republicans-killed-keystone-pipeline#sthash.5BXrVXUC.dpuf http://geol105naturalhazards.voices.wooster.edu/tar-sands-oil-2/

Questions?