Have a great labor day long weekend

First a couple of mainstreet news coverage articles came out yesterday.

independent-report-looks-at-husky-response-to-saskatchewan-oil-spill/  CTV

Calls for transparency  CBC

saskatchewan-water-intakes-closed-after-oil-spill-could-reopen-before-winter/  Global (on Thursday)

________________________________________________________________________

So, I begin by saying I have noticed that the main news outlets in Canada (CTV, CBC, and Global) are paying attention.  They are highlighting some good things about this disaster.  Not one of us truly knows what the winter will do to this River as far as the oil spill affects go.....we just know that winter will freeze things up like they always do.

Most of our corporate activity on-site in N.Saskatchewan River has been to continue to take water samples for testing and - after the river rise, to protect the containment assets in place, either by removing them and reinstalling them at other locations, or securing them while the river does its thing.

I'll leave the water testing results until a later date.

Much of the challenge with this project is the push-back from Husky insinuating that "we can't verify who's oil that is - if it is oil at all".  (keep in mind, I only get the words of Husky 'second hand')

It will be interesting to see the whole saga play out.


How much of your tax dollars would you like to go to new innovations in the collective?

This picture begs the question, as it has a few who have seen it in real life:

"What is that scum floating in the river that looks like hydrocarbon?

I've compared in real time, the looks of the South Saskatchewan River during the post oil spill (August 2016) and I see no evidence like this on the South SK River.  So, it is hard to believe anyone who says this is not the result of hydrocarbons in the water.

Science must weigh in again.  And, there is a group doing a great job of keeping everyone "honest".

And, that water is heading to Manitoba:
http://www.brandonsun.com/

Check that water quality reporting !!!  I am not the only one that sees the comparison to the South Saskatchewan River (or the Little Red)


Back to that "Independent Report" above, and the "need for Transparency" - if you didn't have time to read it, this is the most important statement they made:

The independent group wants facts and figures. In the report, there are a number of recommendations highlighted including demanding "full access to the raw data from Husky's sampling program and a detailed cleanup strategy."

And, before you go to your long weekend retreat, check this out >  We are not the only ones dealing with the issues of oil spill

Peruvian Amazon Region on Alert After Oil Spills

Over n out until next blog

Nathan

THIS JUST IN. 1:30 PM THURSDAY, SEPT. 1st

THIS JUST IN.
!
WOW !

THAT RIVER IS COLLECTING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DRIFT LOGS.
TOO DANGEROUS FOR THE BOOM INSTALLERS.

OVER N OUT UNTIL NEXT BLOG.

Nathan

CBC film crew on-site JSFN.

I pick up the story with events around mid-day on Tuesday, August 30th.  A film crew came to James Smith reserve to go to the shoreline of the N. Saskatchewan River and see for themselves.

Here is a picture I received:

 This was Tuesday, afternoon.














On Wednesday afternoon this article was released on CBC news website:

CBC news Wednesday

Now, keep in mind, that all of this collection of scummy dross in the river was happening everyday, over the past week or more.  The river was supposed to rise before the weekend, so we were hurriedly getting as much collected as possible.

Astonishingly, overnight Tuesday, the river had risen some "3 meters" by some individual's count.  Hard to believe that rain in Edmonton region could affect the river that much.  I now have been reminded that there are hydro dams along the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta.  I live along the Columbia River in BC, and I know how much a river can rise based on Hydro release at times.

With a hard search I found this quote:  "The mean annual discharge from the [North Saskatchewan River] basin in Alberta into Saskatchewan is over seven billion m³."  

From:  http://www.environment.alberta.ca/apps/basins/default.aspx?Basin=4

I have so many questions as to how common it is at this time of year for the river to rise so much overnight.  But, I am learning quite a few more things during this project.  (even as I learn about Mexico and the oil spill market)

Btw, there is a major business story developing in Mexico as I write.  From the time I take a reprieve from the North Saskatchewan River - I don't know when that will be - I will pick up the story developing in Mexico.  Suffice to say, it is developing larger than we thought originally.

Over n out until next blog.

Nathan

P.S.  I've buried this purposely.

Taxpayers pay oil companies

And the blog pendulum swings to the capital market. Every stakeholder counts!

Now, if you are wondering why Husky's common stock went higher on the day after the N. Saskatchewan Oil Spill, read this, and then the next article:

http://calgaryherald.com/-/husky-gets-relief-from-hong-kongs-richest-man

Keep in mind, there is much more to Husky than the pipeline that crosses the N.Sask River near Maidstone, SK.

Husky CNOOC relationship (sometimes partners have disputes too!)

So, given this information is it strange that City-of-Prince-Albert-gets-5-million-from-husky-for-oil-spill-cleanup ?

And, Husky-sends-3.5-million-pre-payment-to-north-battleford

And, by this time, I am learning that the First Nations have had several meetings with Husky, either by teleconference or in person (with various levels of Husky personnel and/or consultants involved)

I won't easily forget the conversation in the parking lot at FSIN (see previous blog of August 2nd - XBoom & PAGC) where the Husky rep viewed the XBoom out of the back of the CFFC trailer.  An entrepreneur always takes his/her steps forward or backward, based on the amount of risk capital placed in the marketing of their products.  I can tell you, at this point I am reminded of the difficulty in getting big companies to take a hard look at how they are spending their capital...innovation or no-innovation.  I can think of a few words for my thoughts, but.....a picture is worth a thousand words.

Over n out until next blog.

Nathan

Mostly pictures including August 28th, 2016

This blog segment will be mostly pictures.  Some have been taken in between the dates: August 16th to August 28th.  I do realize that pictures are not the same visual as seeing with your own eyes... which I did!!!

And every stakeholder will have their own interpretation of the pictures.  Everyone is affected and influenced by individual prospective.

The river is "alive" in that it rises and lowers after heavy rainfall, and the results are.....more fallout from the spill.

Over n out until next blog.

Nathan

Activity during the period from August 12th to August 15th.

Looks like I'm not the only blogger to chime in...

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/brent-patterson/2016/08/north-saskatchewan-river-oil-spill-strengthens-opposition-to-

The timing of the NEB hearings and this spill helps get the attention on the event.

While the hearings are held: 

As you gaze at the picture of the "talking heads" put yourself in their shoes.  They have a job to do, as they are representatives of the stakeholders within their constituencies.  If you were there, what would you be thinking?  "No to pipelines".....think about that one.  "Yes, to pipelines.....with conditions".  (remember the Northern Gateway initial approval, with 209 conditions?)

This is the picture on site:

While we all realize that the challenge of epic proportions, is the challenge of moving

from the same old story, or same old "stock picture" showing the problem (and as I see it, the problems are evident in both of these pictures)

to the solutions.


While the oil bleeds ("Rome burns") we are at the table talking about how "we can do it better next time" 

"We" can do much better if we take the opportunities to get SOLUTIONS to the table....rather than seeking the same old methods.  After all, if there were no "we's" at the table when Google was being formed, there would likely not be any blogs like this one.  Get my drift....of course you do.  It's an INNOVATION story.  (that I do plan to emphasize throughout)

Robix is a small company that seeks to form alliances that can effect the changes so badly needed in the industry called, "oil spill response and recovery" (emphasis on recovery) and soon to be effecting the clean water industry.

While this activity is representative of the bigger picture, the center of activity in both the First Nations territory affected by the spill and the other parts of the river, during this week of August 8th to 15th, there were many meetings that took place either by teleconference or in person.  Husky has been busy, the Saskatchewan government has been busy, and the Feds have been busy.  All I can say about how busy Stephen Neal (XBoom) and I were, is for you to know that I have only now been able to catch up on this blog.

Over n out until next blog.

Nathan

Activity during the period from August 9th to August 11th

Now, to be fair to everyone involved (after all Husky is a stakeholder as well) I'm linking their website and the link they provide to all who ask any questions.  Btw, I've heard from a few reporters that the standard reply to questions at Husky is:  "see our website".  So, here you all are:

http://www.huskyenergy.ca/news/saskatchewan-updates.asp  A sample cut and pasted from this site is here:  (although from August 22nd update)

• Shoreline cleanup continues, using several techniques, including low pressure washing, vegetation trimming and raking, and removal of debris.
• Cleanup of the primary focus area is steadily progressing in Division 1, with approximately 47 percent of the shoreline cleaned.
• Water sampling and analysis is continuing.

This reminds me of the Facebook post I saw recently from someone affected by the clean up process.  I'll post that in another episode of this blog.  The editorial comments I may make will shed light on my viewpoint on this event as it directly relates to the use of innovations in the solution to a disaster like this one.

As the story unfolds, and those affected come to the face of Husky, there is this action:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/prince-albert-looking-for-millions-from-husky-energy-1.3716017

And there is this reaction from Husky:  (from Husky website)

• An insurance clinic was held in Prince Albert on Aug. 20 to facilitate claims.

And, from CBC "Deloitte, an independent financial firm has been hired by the City to assist in the claims process with Husky Energy and preliminary meetings with Husky Energy have been positive. The City anticipates a 24-hour claim reimbursement from Husky Energy for all City invoices submitted".

Just an observation on my part, that comes from a few conversations with experienced executives:  "the fact that a claims center was initiated so early in the process, speaks to Husky's realization that this is a real disaster, not just an incident".  

The following is a copyright, so rather than my infringement on the use of the image, please click on the link here and see the picture that's worth a thousand words.  http://www.paherald.sk.ca/News/Local/2016-08-10/article-4611810/City-initiates-claims-process-with-Husky-Energy/1

Moving away from the specifics of Prince Albert to the source of the pipeline break is this article from CBC.  And, I ask, "Does anyone think this will be the last oil spill in Canada?"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cepa-2016-safety-report-1.3654640

Over n out until next blog.

Nathan