Brian Jean says Churchill is a pipedream due to muskeg and permafrost

Aug 3, 2022

Share
Share
Tweet

While the Port of Churchill is seen by some as a possible salvation for exports, especially oil, from the otherwise landlocked prairie provinces, at least one prominent politician is saying it’s not going to work,

On a day when the federal and Manitoba governments pledged a further $147 million for improvements to the rail line leading to Churchill, Brian Jean, one of the candidates for leadership of the Alberta United Conservative Party and, with that, the premiership of that province, said its not realistic.

In a post on LinkedIn on Aug. 3, Jean said, “Hudson Bay is just not workable. Too much muskeg to get to it by rail or pipeline. Too much ice or icebergs for most of the year even if you could get to Churchill.
Port Nelson is a pipedream that was given up on over 100 years ago. There are no roads or rail that go there.”

That comes from the MLA for Fort McMurray, which has had a lot of work done in the muskeg.

This post on Brian Jean’s LinkedIn shows some of the stark reality of working in muskeg. LinkedIn

However, most of the comments on the post begged to differ.

Dan Odenbach, president at Aggressive Oilfield Rentals Ltd., wrote, “Well this meme is dumb. The amount of crap I’ve worked on and still continue to work on in muskeg areas must all just be a big dream in Alberta’s and BC’s oil patch.”

Geotechnical consultant Alistar James, a professional engineer, said, “We build on Muskeg in Alberta. Why would we be unable to do it elsewhere? Finland and Sweden also do this.”

And Charles Proulx with Paradox Access Solutions Inc. said, “There have been numerous projects within Alberta (and Canada) which have been been built on top of Muskeg / Peat type geotechnical conditions.

“Here are a couple of project examples of successful projects built on muskeg or overtop of Permafrost utilizing Tough Cell technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_krApoaGRo0, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPhdka1ZMGQ.”

 

  • 0079 Ministry of Energy Business_incentive PO
    0079 Ministry of Energy Business_incentive PO
  • 0078 LHOS 2024
    0078 LHOS 2024
  • 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
    0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
  • 0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda
    0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda
  • 0076 Latus only
    0076 Latus only
  • 0073 SaskWorks-Pipeline Online
    0073 SaskWorks-Pipeline Online
  • 0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher
    0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher
  • 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
    0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
  • 0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket
    0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket
  • 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
    0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
  • 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
    0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
  • 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
    0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
  • 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
    0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
  • 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
    0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
  • 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
  • 0022 Grimes winter hiring
  • 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
  • 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
  • 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
  • 0011
  • 0006 JK Junior
  • 0002 gilliss casing services
    0002 gilliss casing services
  • 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
    9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
  • 9001

 

Feds, province pump more money into rail line to Churchill, Man.