First Oil Sands Project in 10 Years Starts Production

The first new oil sands project in Alberta since 2014 has started commercial production, aiming for a daily average of 80,000 barrels once it ramps up.

The Blackrod project, led by International Petroleum Corp., moved to the first phase of production despite the peak oil demand narrative that has dominated the past decade, especially in Canada.

Canadian oil sands have been in the focus of transition attention as especially energy-intensive, meaning emission-intensive, and as a high-cost way of extracting crude oil from the ground.

Under activist…