Refine It Where We Mine It

Public Campaign Advocating for Upgraders in Alberta

Edmonton… Supporters from Alberta’s petrochemical industry and participating municipalities have launched a public campaign to build support for the oil sands value added chain, starting with more upgrader development throughout the province.  

The new website refineitwherewemineit.ca encourages public support for policies and business-friendly incentives, to stimulate the province’s economic recovery and long term sustainability by calling for four new upgraders in Alberta by 2020.

 “The time to act is now,” says Don Rigney, Mayor of Sturgeon County and Board Chair of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association.  “Exports of raw bitumen are increasing much faster than the growth in Alberta’s upgrading capacity.  We currently refine the lowest percentage of our production of any jurisdiction in North America. Through this public awareness campaign we are calling on Albertans to show their support for increasing our capacity to upgrade Alberta’s natural resources here at home,” concluded Rigney.

Download full News Release and Q&A of July 7th News Conference – Refine It Where We Mine It

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Region+unites+against+bitumen+export

The champagne was put on ice in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Tuesday after the province selected North West Upgrading for negotiations toward a deal to handle 75,000 barrels per day of bitumen.

The corks will pop later this year — if and when a formal contract is signed, which would mean a spring 2011 start on construction of the upgrader project that was halted in 2007.

About 3,000 workers will be needed in each of the three planned phases.

Read the full article here.