Petroteq NOI revoked for Asphalt Ridge

Posted on August 31, 2022 by craphaelc

Petroteq has been successfully using our system to scam investors and residents of Vernal Utah for years. The Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining has finally ended the NOI permit at TMM Asphalt Ridge and ordered Petrorteq to begin reclamation in April 2022 that was to be completed by July 30 2022. It is unclear if they have done any reclamation.

A February 4, 2022 letter from Asphalt Ridge Inc of Reno Nevada indicates that Pertoteq has been evicted from their mine site at Temple Mountain for non-payment of rent. Asphalt ridge Inc. is the owner of the land where Petroteq was operating their project. The termination of Petoteq’s right of Entry onto the property effectively terminates their mine permit at Asphalt Ridge outside of Vernal Utah.

I have been warning folks that this project is a scam for several years. The company run by Aleksandr Blyumkin has had name changes and multiple partners throughout the life of the project which was permitted in 2013. During the time they were operating as MCW they were evicted from land held by SITLA.

In June 2022 the SEC filed cease and desist proceedings against Petroteq.

SEC filing against Petroteq

They are ordered to correct the fraudulent statements in their SEC filings and pay these fines:

Petroteq shall pay civil penalties of $1,000,000 to the SEC in 4 installments within, 10 days, 180, days, 270 days, and 364 days of the court order on June 13 2022.

Aleksandr Blyumkin shall pay civil penalties of $450,000 to the SEC on a similar schedule.

The connection should be made that David Sealock was the CEO of Petroteq from March of 2018 until 2020 when he left Petroteq and bought the bankrupt “US Oil Sands” tar sands strip mine at PR Springs which was called “2020 Resources”. Now it is called “Sky Quarry” owned by David Sealock who moved from Canada to Salt Lake City to run the Sky Quarry scam.

Utah Tar Sands Resistance 2023 camp out: Return to the land.

Featured

Posted on July 11, 2022 by craphaelc

UTSR campout — PR Springs Utah, SITLA land leased for stripmining

for your consideration:

Join Utah Tar Sands Resistance

for a Campout at PR Springs

August 11-13 2023

Please join Utah Tar Sands Resistance for a camp out on the eastern Tavaputs plateau to check in on the stripmine at PR Springs and the new mine owners and to be on the land again.

Directions to PR Springs:

http://www.tarsandsresist.org/camp/

Google map

PR Springs campground is adjacent to trust land that SITLA (School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration of Utah) has leased for tar sand stripmining and processing.

We will provide tours of the area and information about the history of the US Oil Sands project and tar sands and oil shale developments on the Colorado Plateau. For folks who are coming for the first time. The Tavaputs plateau is around 8000 feet elevation with spectacular views in every direction. There are deer and elk, black bears and wild turkeys. Dark skies and stargazing is also fantastic from the plateau. We camp here to observe the pristine area that Utah would have us grind up and turn into oil using massive amounts of energy and water.

There is potable spring water at the site.

PR Springs is on the Tavaputs Plateau and within the Uncompahgre boundaries.

UTSR supports the position that all lands within the Uncompahgre reservation be restored to the ownership and control of the Ute people as their sovereign land.

Please RSVP to UtahTarSandsResistance@gmail.com

US Oil Sands goes bankrupt

Posted on June 14, 2017 by craphaelc

: US Oil Sands Idle factory site at PR Springs.

: US Oil Sands bankrupt tar mine lies behind a protective fence.

: view of the idle mine at US oil sands project.

: Signs and fence at idle strip mine.

: View from Seep Ridge Road

: 2020 Resources is the new name for US Oil sands after US Oil Sands went bankrupt.

: View of mine processing are from Seep Ridge Road

: Mine equipment at PR Springs remains idle. US Oil Sands goes bankrupt.

: This idle mine has never operated commercially this equipment has been used for a few hours if at all.

: Pile of “tar” has been sitting untouched for 2 years.

News of the impending implosion of US Oil Sands. Creditors get stiffed as US Oil Sands declares bankruptcy.

http://in.reuters.com/article/brief-us-oil-sands-inc-announces-financi-idINASA09TPS

The 100 million dollar project is a big flop. This fact was actually quite clear for a very long time. Big money players have exploited the land and colluded with the politicians to create a cash cow for some, roller-coaster for others and big loss for the public. Not to mention nothing but a waste site of 99 acres that isn’t even as clean as beach sand as was promised, for the SITLA Trust fund beneficiaries.

When US Oil Sands goes bankrupt it harms the local communities and regular people who do business with them. Bankruptcy allows US oil Sands to be excused from paying most of it’s debts. SITLA has renewed US Oil Sands leases at PR Springs.

US Oil Sands Scam continues investors loose more money

Posted on April 25, 2017 by craphaelc

Strip mine at PR Springs Utah is a US Oil Sands scam.

US Oil Sands scam includes exposing the “tar” layer at the mine site.

This is the 6th year of Utah Tar Sands Resistance opposition to the destructive mine plans of the Canadian Corporation, “US Oil Sands” or USOS. US Oil Sands scam is occurring on SITLA controlled land. USOS has been leasing 50 square miles in the Book Cliffs from the State of Utah for tar sands strip mining since 2005. USOS claims they will produce oil this year, USOS has been claiming this every year, since 2008.

Actually US Oil Sands has yet to produce oil commercially from their project in Utah. US Oil Sands is a scam.

USOS has spent over 100 million dollars building the strip mine and tar processing facility at PR Springs. They have destroyed 100 acres of pristine forest and hold leases to 32,000 acres for tar sands strip mining. In the 4th quarter of 2016 they announced they were out of money and they laid off most of their employees.

US Oil Sands scam project has cleared 100 acres at PR Springs.

In January US Oil Sands obtained an additional 12 million dollars and is again claiming they will produce oil early in 2017. Our research shows that the Utah department of oil gas and mining (UDOGM) re-assessed the amount of the reclamation surety bond (Likely from our complaints) from approx $376,000.000 to $728,000.00 and they received and extension to pay this bond by February 15th. Which they did pay on Feb 14th according to UDOGM.

CLICK HERE for Utah Depart Oil Gas & Mining Files on the USOS PR SPRING Stripmine

Tar Sands Protest banners stolen

Posted on September 27, 2016 by craphaelc

The Protest must go on!

We were shocked to see that our free speech protest banners we put up last week were stolen from the public right of way in front of the nasty tar factory being constructed at PR Springs Utah. The banner “No pipelines! No Stripmines! Utah Land Defenders support Standing Rock and Red Warrior Camp was stolen along with “stripmines Trash Everything”

These tar sand protest banners were stolen from in front of the mine entrance.

In an effort to keep up the fight and our spirits we put up more banners.

Tar sands protest banner at Children’s legacy overlook.

Saturday September 24th at PR Springs Utah

A new banner was placed at Children’s Legacy Overlook near the southern edge of the freshly stripped forest known affectionately as the “Children’s Legacy Camp” UTSR decided to move our vigil to this overlook near the road as the weather is changing and it is preferable to have a more sunny location. Around 5pm on saturday about 1 hour after we arrived and began to set up our tents an unmarked vehicle pulled in (which I had seen on the ridge parked, where you can look at our camp in PR Canyon with binoculars, several times since Friday afternoon) and identifying one of us by name said this nonsense:

“Your XXX right?” You can’t be here I know that you know that this is trust lands because you have been arrested here before.”

UTSR: “Who are You?”

The man said “I am Jason Christensen, I am an investigator for the Uintah county prosecutor”

UTSR: “So why are you talking to us?”

Jason: “I am a peace officer, I have no authority in Grand County but I am doing my personal duty.”

UTSR: “Personal duty? What is a personal duty?”

Jason; “you don’t have personal time?”

UTSR: “your up here on your personal time?”

Jason: “I’m not going to argue with you I’m calling the Grand County Sheriff!”

He does I listen (LOL) we are not actually trespassing.

Jason “i’ve got pictures of you”

He drives to the county line 500 feet away and parks where he can watch us. A fully camo dressed man with a covered face drives by on a 4 wheeler pulls over and says “whats going on?” we say “we are protesting the strip mine” and he says “did we drive there?” “No we are on bikes!” he says but did you drive here?” we say “do you see a car?” There is none LOL!!! This makes him mad. He leaves and goes to hang out with Jason. I deem him a “Cop Sucker”

We gather up wood, make a big fire and enjoy an amazing sunset across the stripped land. Another unmarked police vehicle drives by from the Uintah county side and takes more pics with a long lens. He turns around after awhile and comes back towards us he swerves and covers his face to avoid being photographed by us.

No one ever shows up from Grand County. We make sure to stay up late and flash our lights on the mine pit so the Uintah co cops have something to do. They keep watch till well after dark.

On Sunday morning , a bike ride over to the Pig Pen ( a fenced in trailer for the cops to sleep in, Uintah county built onto the side of the US Oil Sands tar processing plant fence line), reveals that the Uintah Cops have gone home to Vernal. The new banner and protest camp can be seen from Seep Ridge Road and many folks drive by who are here hunting and recreating in this remote wilderness.

Many tears have been shed over the loss of Children’s Legacy Camp and its thriving ecosystem. We will continue to witness and grieve for every leaf of every tree, every single fly, spider, mouse and bear and everything in between we will speak of them, and think of them and honor them, as the precious beings that we know they are. Our banners and protest continue to exist.

Tar Sands strip mine on Seep Ridge Road, Utah

US Oil sands pit one at PR Springs Utah

US Oil sands tar sand strip mine

Young Buck in PR Canyon

Witness the Waters

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Lionel Trepanier

PR Springs Utah is a magical place with abundant water and life.

Triangle spring in PR Canyon.

The state of Utah has declared the area to be without water. Claiming there is no ground water present this area has been leased for stripmining for tar sands.

US Oil Sands (a Canadian corporation) & the State of Utah are lying about the existence of water at PR Springs. Come to PR Spring and “Witness the Waters”.

SEE –> ELK at PR Springs —>

Elk drinking ground water from Triangle Spring.

Hidden game camera catches elk drinking from spring after dark.

Elk drinking ground water from Triangle Spring. Nursing baby

These Elk come to DRINK @ PR Springs after dusk

Milk Break!

A little water, a little Milk. Both so FRESH.

And most amazing —> SEE –> ELK at PR Springs DANCE —>

PR Springs Elk DANCE

Two female Elk appear to preform a ‘Patty Cake’ dance right in the pool of ground water at what we call the Triangle Spring here at PR Springs.

THE BAD NEWS

Utah’s governor Dirty Herbert and his minions here in Utah at SITLA have leased this very spot for tarsand STRIPMINING for $1 per acre –> per year. This situation demands active resistance. Join the Resistance. Utah Tar Sands Resistance. www.tarsandsresist.org

Join UTSR’s celebration of water and the protest of Utah’s corrupt ‘Dirty Herbert’, who is growing fat by selling our children’s legacy to foreign croney capitalists.

See info about this upcoming event HERE:

www.tarsandsresist.org/upcoming-events/

~UTSR

US Oil Sands announces slow down and lack of funding! USOS STOCKS plummet!

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Lionel Trepanier

PR Springs mine may NEVER open.

Utah Tar Sands Resistance is hopeful about the real impact of the recent announcement by US Oil Sands of the scale down of their plans for tar sands strip mining at PR Springs Utah. All beings will continue to gain from the existence of this remote ecosystem and the preservation of this historic source of spring water.

news links about USOS slow down:

US Oil Sands slows Utah project, Salt Lake Tribune

US Oil Sands slows $60-million Utah project as prices tank, contractors close

article US Oil Sands announces decision to slow construction at PR Springs mine Moab Sun Times.

Site Report: USOS seems far behind on schedule!

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Utah Tar Sands Resistance

From the looks of it, no one’s going to be processing bitumen on the Tavaputs Plateau this year.

US Oil Sands has promised investors they’d achieve commercial production by the final quarter of 2015.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening out there.

Though there’s personnel on the production site, it seems impossible to run graders and other machinery in all this muck.

The entrance to Children’s Legacy Camp (the area they’ve been clearcutting and grading) is a slushpile.

The processing site has a nice layer of snow on the ground. There’s been no paving work so far, meaning it’s awfully hard to run machines over this slushy ground too. Paving site roads (a goal outlined in the mine plan) sure seemed like one of the crucial stepping stones to building capacity to work all winter and achieve commercial production.

New conveyors are in, but kind of just sitting there in the snowy field.

The Legacy area has been quiet. At 8,000 feet, it seems awfully hard to dig up this frozen tundra in the winter.

Seems like a whole lot of investor dollars being spent on worker salaries, with the potential for very minimal results.

If seeing all this destruction moves you, now is the time to jump in! Together we can win this fight.

Faces of the grassroots climate movement: rowdy and rowdier

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Utah Tar Sands Resistance

Marches around the country this week show ideological diversity among a new cohort of activists.

by Cally Carswell

(This article has been re-posted from High Country News)

Protesters march toward U.S. Oil Sands’ test pit, on the East Tavaputs Plateau in Utah’s Book Cliffs. The company is moving toward opening the first commercial tar sands mine in the U.S., and began clearing a site for a processing facility down the road this summer.

Last Sunday, under a pocket of blue sky, some 30 people spilled out of vehicles onto Seep Ridge Road, a wide thoroughfare that traverses a remote spine of eastern Utah’s Book Cliffs, and is in the process of being paved. Many in the group wore hats or wrapped their heads with scarves, then tied bandanas over their noses and mouths. They looked tough, hard-edged, but not without a sense of humor. One woman carried a shepherd’s cane, one man wore a clown mask, and another played tunes like “This Land is Our Land” on a saxophone. The wind whipped them energetically.

The guises were defenses not against the weather, but against the cops and a security camera trained on a test pit for what could soon become the first commercial tar sands mine in the U.S. Tar sands contain an unconventional crude called bitumen, that with a great deal of water and energy can be extracted from sand and rock, and refined into fuel. The industry is big business in Alberta, Canada, and one of the most carbon-intense fossil fuels. U.S. environmentalists have fiercely opposed the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport Canadian tar sands crude to U.S. refineries, in a bid to influence further development to the north. Less known, and less opposed nationally, is the push to develop Utah’s own tar sands deposits.

The protesters were here to say “no” to the development, because as one explained earlier in the day, “These days, if you’re not saying ‘no,’ you’re saying ‘yes’.” It felt good to say “no,” another told me, and to do so publicly.

After all, the politer approaches to solving the climate crisis, the attempts by big environmental groups to work inside the halls of Congress, to compromise, and to wield science to compel action, had failed. It was time, the protesters believed, to confront the problem at its source – carbon spewing projects like this one – and to do so loudly. A few among them unfurled a banner declaring “Together and Everywhere We Rise Up for Climate Justice.” The group began to march toward the test pit. Continue reading →

Five Land Defenders Arrested at Utah Tar Sands Protest

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Utah Tar Sands Resistance

BREAKING: Five Land defenders were arrested yesterday morning at the construction site of US Oil Sands’ tar sands strip-mine in Utah. The Canadian company’s 32,000 acre lease-holding are on state-managed land in the Book Cliffs, on the East Tavaputs Plateau, though the land is traditional Ute land, and lays within Indian country, with sections of the tar sands project straddling the boundary of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation.

Currently, the land defenders (including the media team) are being held on Class A Trespassing charges, with a total bail estimated at $10,500.

One of those arrested is a trans woman, and at this time we are unsure if she is being held in solitary, or if she is being housed with the male population. Neither situation is acceptable, we are extremely concerned about the dangers she may be facing.

We will provide updates and media here as they become available.

Donate to the land defenders’ legal support fund using this secure link or with the form below:

Utah Tar Sands Resistance

Exposing the lies about tar sands and oil shale strip mining in Eastern Utah

Tag Archives: PR Springs