Various rumors in various places seem to put the price/bbl to make extraction profitable anywhere from $30 - $60...
So far, I've not seen much progress on them.
My take is that the oil companies got so burned by when oil fell to $10/bbl under Clinton that they are dragging their feet...plus opposition from Sierra Club types and libs.
As far as "pipe dream", 16 of the most 20 polluted cities in the world are in China: they are doing all the polluting which is illegal or too costly in the US.
That's what I had meant by "not in my backyard" writ nationally.
One last -- if the Americas really are the world suppliers of crude, how come Dubai has so much money? And why do oil futures shoot up every time there is tension in Nigeria or the Middle East?
Not a cheap shot, that -- if there is a cogent reason, I'd love to hear it.
Cheers!
Alberta Oil Sands have been in continuous commercial oil production for 4 decades. There are currently about $150 Billion dollars being invested in new projects and expansions.
Inventory of Major Alberta Projects
http://www.alberta-canada.com/statpub/albertaConstructionProjects/mpindex.cfm
Scroll down, select "Oilsands" and click "Submit"
Oil Sands History
http://www.syncrude.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=5657
Suncor oil sands operating costs averaged $21.70 per barrel during 2006 compared to $24.55 per barrel in 2005.
Suncor Energy 2006 Annual Report
http://www.suncor.com/data/1/rec_docs/1264_Suncor%202006%20Annual%20Report-bookmarked.pdf
See page 20.