Alternative sources of crude-such as oil from Venezuela-have similar level of greenhouse gas emissions as oil sands

Dateline:

"Venezuelan crude, which is in the same GHG intensity range as oil sands, is the primary heavy crude oil used in the region today."

(April 19, 2013) - The life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canadian oil sands are similar to those from sources of crude that would likely be used in absence of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, IHS says today in a public comment submitted to the U.S. Department of State draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Keystone XL Pipeline.

The IHS assessment is based on ongoing IHS CERA Oil Sands Dialogue research. A 2012 Oil Sands Dialogue report found that the life-cycle GHG emissions (from the extraction, processing, distribution and combustion of the refined fuel) from oil sands imported into the United States are 12 percent higher than the average crude oil consumed in the U.S. That is lower than the figure used by the state department SEIS-17 percent higher than the US average-and places Canadian oil sands in the same range as the most likely alternatives, such as heavy oil from Venezuela. Venezuela is currently the largest supplier of heavy oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

"With or without oil sands supply to the Gulf Coast from Keystone XL, refiners there will continue to process crude oils with similar levels of GHG emissions, given the region's substantial capacity to refine these types of crudes," says Jackie Forrest, IHS senior director and head of the IHS CERA Oil Sands Dialogue. "Venezuelan crude, which is in the same GHG intensity range as oil sands, is the primary heavy crude oil used in the region today."

To download the full IHS Comments on the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Keystone XL Pipeline and the IHS CERA Oil Sands Dialogue greenhouse gas study (see Oil Sands, Greenhouse Gases, and US Oil Supply: Getting the Numbers Right - 2012 Update),visit the dialogue's homepage, http://www.ihs.com/oilsandsdialogue.

About the IHS CERA Oil Sands Dialogue

Since 2009, the IHS CERA Oil Sands Dialogue has brought together policymakers, industry representatives, non-governmental organizations-including environmental groups-and other related stakeholders to advance the conversation surrounding Canadian oil sands development. The objective is to enhance understanding of critical factors and questions surrounding industry issues and foster a fact-based discussion.

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About IHS(www.ihs.com)

IHS (NYSE: IHS) is the leading source of information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today's business landscape. Businesses and governments in more than 165 countries around the globe rely on the comprehensive content, expert independent analysis and flexible delivery methods of IHS to make high-impact decisions and develop strategies with speed and confidence. IHS has been in business since 1959 and became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS is committed to sustainable, profitable growth and employs 6,700 people in 31 countries around the world.


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