The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #112360   Message #2376370
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
28-Jun-08 - 07:26 PM
Thread Name: BS: Oil Shales
Subject: RE: BS: Oil Shales
Refineries are trouble for a long time, even after they close. Imperial Oil closed its refinery in Calgary. They formed a unit to reclaim and build houses in the area.
Very nice middle income housing was built.
The reclamation was either only partly effective- or was impossible from the start. Problems from contaminated soil soon plagued the area. First part, then all of the housing had to be bought back. Of course the suits and arguments over claims went on for a long time. The houses have been destroyed.

I think all of the suits and arguments have been settled by now, but the whole affair caused home buyers, and the city, a lot of grief.
A park or something occupies the land now. I haven't checked lately.

There is another large lot in Calgary, east of the city center, used to be a Gulf(?) refinery there. I remember little shacks on it, something to do with reclamation. I think it is still empty.

Oil remaining in continental U. S. - I wlii comment on that later.