People in British Columbia are not currently embracing either of the two proposals to transport crude from Alberta to facilitate its export to China and other Asian destinations, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

The online survey of a representative sample of 804 British Columbian adults also shows that respondents are disappointed with the implementation of the provincial Carbon Tax two years ago, and few believe it has had an effect on the actual behaviour of residents.

The Pipelines

Enbridge is looking to build two pipelines in British Columbia. The pipelines would carry an average of 525,000 barrels of crude a day and 193,000 barrels of condensate (which is used to thin bitumen) from near Edmonton, Alberta, to Kitimat, in northern British Columbia.

On the other hand, Kinder Morgan has proposed using the existing TransMountain system to ultimately carry an average of 700,000 barrels of crude a day from near Edmonton, Alberta, to BC’s Lower Mainland.

Almost half of respondents in BC (48%) are opposed to both proposals, while support is only slightly higher for the Enbridge plan (35%) than the Kinder Morgan initiative (32%). Opposition surpasses the 50 per cent mark for both plans in Vancouver Island and the North.

Overall, 49 per cent of respondents think the projects are a bad idea that could lead to an environmental disaster, while 33 per cent define them as a good idea that will help the BC economy.

The Carbon Tax

Two years after the Carbon Tax was implemented in the province, more than half of British Columbians (56%) say the levy has "severely" or "moderately" affected the finances of their household. The proportion is higher in the North (80%) and Vancouver Island (64%).

Three-in-four respondents (74%) believe the introduction of the Carbon Tax in British Columbia has not led people to be more mindful of their carbon consumption and change their behaviour.

Analysis

Opposition to the two competing pipeline projects appears to be directly related to environmental concerns. The level of support for the projects is higher in Metro Vancouver and the Interior, but is nowhere near a majority in these two areas or across the entire province. The main worry for British Columbians when thinking about this issue is the possibility of an environmental disaster.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF) 

On Apr. 20, a blowout at an oil well owned by BP Plc and located southeast of the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico caused a major oil spill which is now considered the largest in U.S. history. Several attempts aimed at containing the oil spill failed.

On Jun. 15, U.S. President Barack Obama discussed the oil spill in an address to the nation, saying, "We will fight this spill with everything we’ve got for as long as it takes. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever’s necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy."

On Jun. 23, British Prime Minister David Cameron declared at the House of Commons: "BP itself wants to pay for the clean-up, wants to stop the gushing of the oil into the Gulf, recognizes it’s going to have to pay money in respect of fishermen and others who have lost their livelihoods. But we do want to make sure that this remains a strong and stable company, for our benefit but also for the benefit of the United States."

Polling Data

As you may know, an oil platform collapsed in the Gulf of Mexico on Apr. 20 and has been leaking oil since. From what you have seen, read or heard about this, how much blame do you think each one of the following deserves for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? – "Most of the Blame" responses listed

Complete Poll (PDF)

The Oil Pollution Act was passed by Congress in 1990 to mitigate and prevent civil liability for future oil spills off the U.S. coast. The act establishes that "holders of leases or permits for offshore facilities, except deepwater ports, are liable for up to $75 million per spill, plus removal costs."

On Apr. 20, a blowout at an oil well owned by BP Plc and located southeast of the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico caused a major oil spill which is now considered the largest in U.S. history. All attempts aimed at containing the oil spill have failed.

On May 28, U.S. president Barack Obama discussed the situation, saying, "BP is the responsible party for this disaster. What that means is they’re legally responsible for stopping the leak and they’re financially responsible for the enormous damage that they’ve created. And we’re going to hold them accountable, along with any other party responsible for the initial explosion and loss of life on that platform."

Polling Data

The Oil Pollution Act was passed by Congress in 1990 to mitigate and prevent civil liability for future oil spills off the U.S. coast. The act establishes that "holders of leases or permits for offshore facilities, except deepwater ports, are liable for up to $75 million per spill, plus removal costs." Do you support or oppose Congress raising the $75 million cap on damages under the Oil Pollution Act?

Complete Poll (PDF)

In addition, 62 per cent of respondents believe the price of gas is likely to go down if drilling in offshore oil wells is allowed.

In April 2005, U.S. president George W. Bush declared, "I wish I could simply wave a magic wand and lower gas prices tomorrow; I’d do that. Unfortunately, higher gas prices are a problem that has been years in the making."

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline reached $4.11 U.S. in July 2008—the highest level ever recorded by the American Automobile Association. Earlier this month, the price stood at $1.90 U.S.

Earlier this year, Bush lifted a White House ban on offshore drilling, declaring, "This exploration is now banned by a provision included in the annual interior appropriations bill. When Congress returns they should remove this restriction so we can get these vast oil resources from the ocean floor to your gas tank." On Oct. 1, the congressional ban on offshore oil drilling expired.

In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. On Nov. 4, Democratic nominee Barack Obama secured a majority of electoral votes, defeating Republican candidate John McCain. Obama will become the first African American president in U.S. history when he takes over from Bush—who served two four-year terms—on Jan. 20, 2009.

Earlier this month, William Kovacs, vice-president for the Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "We need to drill [for oil and gas] immediately on the outer continental shelf and then take those [royalties] and invest them in alternative technologies."

Polling Data

Should drilling be allowed in offshore oil wells off the coasts of California, Florida, and other states?

If drilling in offshore oil wells is allowed, how likely is it that the price of gas will go down?

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Additionally, 30 per cent of respondents hail the reform as exactly what the company needed.

In the early 1920s, Mexico was the world’s second-largest oil producer. In 1938, after negotiations with foreign energy companies failed, Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas effectively nationalized the Latin American country’s oil industry. Cárdenas established Mexico’s state-owned oil company Pemex, which to this day is the sole supplier of commercial fuels in the country.

Mexican voters chose their new president in July 2006. Official results placed Felipe Calderón of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) as the winner with 36.68 per cent of all cast ballots. Calderón—a former energy secretary—took over as Mexico’s head of state in December.

Earlier this year, Calderón’s government tabled a bill that would allow Pemex to join with foreign investors in order to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. The administration believes Pemex needs to find outside help to undertake deep-water drilling because it lacks the technology and resources to do it on its own. Pemex registered a net loss of $1.48 billion U.S. in 2007, despite hiking world oil prices.

Supporters of the government bill say domestic production is falling and demand is rising, which has forced Mexico to import oil. Members of the opposition Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) opposed the bill. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) backed the proposal, but introduced changes.

On Oct. 28, the Mexican Congress approved a revised version of the bill that will only allow for limited private investment. David Shields, an independent energy expert in Mexico City, expressed his view on the approved legislation, saying, "Investors will wait and see how this reform translates into actual contracts. But what we won’t be able to avoid is a major drop in oil production in the short term."

Polling Data

The reform to Pemex has been approved. What do you think about the changes?

Source: Demotecnia / Milenio
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 500 Mexican adults, conducted on Oct. 25, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

Earlier this year, U.S. president George W. Bush lifted a White House ban on offshore drilling, declaring, "This exploration is now banned by a provision included in the annual interior appropriations bill. When Congress returns they should remove this restriction so we can get these vast oil resources from the ocean floor to your gas tank." On Oct. 1, the congressional ban on offshore oil drilling expired.

On Sept. 4, the California Legislature passed two joint resolutions—A.J.R. 51 and A.J.R. 66—to protect the state’s coastline from expanded offshore drilling. Democratic Assembly member Pedro Nava discussed the situation, saying, "The California State Legislature is sending a strong message that California and our nation’s coastline is an international treasure and we’re not going to sacrifice it to President Bush and his ill-conceived scheme."

Polling Data

All in all, do you favour or oppose allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters?

Source: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,532 registered American voters, conducted from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, 2008. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.

Additionally, 63 per cent of respondents think the government should open protected coastal waters for oil and gas drilling, and 55 per cent want to allow drilling in U.S. wilderness areas where this is currently not allowed. More than half of respondents want to increase taxes on the profits earned by oil companies.

In April 2005, U.S. president George W. Bush declared, "I wish I could simply wave a magic wand and lower gas prices tomorrow; I’d do that. Unfortunately, higher gas prices are a problem that has been years in the making."

Last month, U.S. president George W. Bush lifted a White House ban on offshore drilling and urged Congress to lift its ban when it resumes duties in September.

On Aug. 23, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen—who is running for a U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire against Republican incumbent John Sununu—chided the Bush administration for driving the economy to the brink of a recession, saying, "They have protected billions in tax give-aways for big oil and tax loopholes for businesses who ship jobs overseas rather than making a serious commitment to the development of clean alternative energy that can transform our economy and create thousands of new jobs."

Polling Data

Do you think the federal government should or should not…?

Source: TNS / ABC News / Stanford University / Planet Green
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jul. 23 to Jul. 28, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

In addition, 67 per cent of respondents think the money raised from the one-off tax should be used to help families to pay for fuel in the winter, and 60 per cent would kick-start a national program of home insulation for energy efficiency.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Brown is currently under pressure by dozens of Labour members of Parliament to introduce a windfall tax on oil companies to ease fuel prices for consumers. The prime minister has rejected the idea so far, while 70 lawmakers from his party have signed a petition for him to consider the levy.

David Kidney, parliamentary private secretary to British transport minister Rosie Winterton, recently urged the government to prioritize tackling fuel poverty. Kidney referred to the windfall tax and said that struggling families should be at the centre of the upcoming budget, declaring, "It may mean more public spending, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a windfall tax—there are other ways of being able to provide the money for this energy action."

Polling Data

The Government has been called on to introduce a one-off tax on the windfall profits of the energy and oil companies, with the money invested to help households deal with increased pressures on family budgets. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
("Agree" listed)

Source: YouGov
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,745 British voters, conducted on Aug. 14 and Aug. 15, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

In April 2005, U.S. president George W. Bush declared, "I wish I could simply wave a magic wand and lower gas prices tomorrow; I’d do that. Unfortunately, higher gas prices are a problem that has been years in the making."

Last month, U.S. president George W. Bush lifted a White House ban on offshore drilling and urged Congress to lift its ban when it resumes duties in September.

On Aug. 24, Bush reiterated his calls for increased coastal drilling, saying, "This exploration is now banned by a provision included in the annual interior appropriations bill. When Congress returns they should remove this restriction so we can get these vast oil resources from the ocean floor to your gas tank."

On Aug. 27, Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid questioned the push to increase offshore oil drilling, declaring, "So, is offshore drilling energy policy or snake oil? Let’s review the facts. White House analysts, congressional analysts, and the oil industry all agree that offshore drilling won’t add one drop to our energy pool for at least ten years. The way things are going now, in another ten years we won’t need more oil; nobody will be able to afford it."

Polling Data

How do you feel about increased drilling for oil and natural gas offshore in U.S. waters? Do you strongly favour, mildly favour, mildly oppose or strongly oppose increased offshore drilling?

If the federal government allowed increased drilling for oil and natural gas offshore in U.S. waters, do you think that would reduce the price of gasoline in the next year?

Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN.
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 527 American adults, conducted on Jul. 27, to Jul. 29, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

Oil producing countries are next on the list with 22 per cent, followed by oil companies with 20 per cent, stock market traders with 11 per cent, consumers with two per cent, and petrol stations with one per cent.

Earlier this year, the price of a litre of gasoline reached $2.32 U.S. in Britain. The government later postponed an increase in fuel duty, which was supposed to be implemented in October.

British chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling explained the decision, saying, "Postponing the planned increase in fuel duty is consistent with the government’s commitment to support the Bank of England in maintaining low inflation. The global credit crunch and sharp rises in world oil prices have pushed up prices at the pumps. Today’s decision will help motorists and businesses get through what is a difficult time for everyone.’’

Polling Data

Which of the following do you think is primarily responsible for the current high price of fuel? (Two answers allowed)

Source: ICM Research
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,021 British voters, conducted on Jul. 23 and Jul. 24, 2008. No margin of error was provided.