The minister responsible for the Alberta Climate Change Office has introduced legislation capping greenhouse gas emissions from oil sands work in accordance with the province’s Climate Leadership Plan announced a year ago (OGJ Online, Nov. 23, 2015).
Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips said the 100 megatonne/year limit “will drive innovation and reduce emissions per barrel while still allowing for production growth and development.”
The oil sands industry now emits about 70 megatonnes/year of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gases.
The limit applies to in situ sites, mines, processing plants, primary production, enhanced recovery and experimental schemes, and buildings, equipment, structures, and vehicles associated with those sites.
Oil sands producers also will be subject to a $30/tonne carbon price.
As part of the climate plan announced last year, the provincial government will impose a $20/tonne carbon price across the economy next year and raise the price to $30/tonne in 2018.
The federal government recently said it will impose a carbon price reaching $50/tonne in 2022 in provinces with emission-reduction targets not matching its own (OGJ Online, Oct. 5, 2016).
