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.

Sky Quarry an illiquid investment

Posted on August 24, 2022 by craphaelc

The securities of Sky Quarry Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), represent an investment that involves a high degree of risk, suitable only for persons who can bear the economic risk for an indefinite period of time and who can afford to lose their entire investments.

Investors should further understand that this investment is illiquid and is expected to continue to be illiquid for an indefinite period of time. No public market exists for the securities to which this Subscription Agreement relates.

A recent visit to PR Springs brought the sheriffs from Both Uintah and Grand county to our campout for Tar Sands Resistance. The Uintah county sheriffs stayed up at the “Horn” and looked at us from a far.

Uintah county sheriffs at the Horn on Seep Ridge road.

Grand county Sheriffs had to drive down into PR Canyon to see us. We spoke to a different officer on friday and saturday. No clear explanation as to why they were there.

They were all watching the US Oil Sands mine site now owned fully by David Sealock the former CEO of Petroteq. The mostly idle mine site has added several office type trailers for the “New” project. A few people were on site including someone with California plates.

PR Springs Tar Sands processing plant now owned by Sky Quarry

The area that was previously used by Ronald Barton and The sheriff’s office for an office and housing trailer has been removed and Sky Quarry has trailers in that location. Many questions remain: Why does the sheriffs office spend money to send officers out to this mine that is a private corporation who should provide their own security if they need it.

On September 15 2021 April Abate from the Utah division Of Oil Gas and Mining visited the mine site and made an inspection report.

Here are some comments from her report:

“Mr. Sealock explained process to EPA. The company’s goal is to make Utah asphalt shingles to
be 100% recyclable by creating a closed loop vapor recovery system to prevent emissions.
Economics are still favorable to haul these to the plant. A heavy oil product will be shipped to
MC Oil and Gas and Foreland Refinery in Nevada.
Sand separation units will be relocated, and the large roller mixer will be removed. Pellets of
recycled shingles will be blended with bitumen from the mine. The Notice of Intent (NOI) is
currently out of date and will need to be revised under a significant revision. The operator has
contacted Stantec Consulting to prepare the revised NOI.”… “Solvents to be used will be a mix of d-limonene and hydrocarbon condensate mix.”

No actual mining or processing is occuring. I don’t beleive they really want to mine they just want you to invest. Sky Quarry is a scam

zombie mine plan rises at PR Springs

Posted on July 14, 2021 by craphaelc

2020 Resources changes name and owners to revive scam operation at PR Springs.

Like a zombie that comes back from the grave, the Tar Sands scam is too lucrative to die. 2020 Resources formerly known as US Oil Sands, has recently changed its contact address and agent info to David Sealock. David Sealock resigned as the CEO of Petroteq on March 31, 2020.As the CEO of Petroteq, Mr. Sealock was able to rip off shareholders and local businesses in Uintah county. Successfully milking the Petroteq tar sands scam project before moving on to buy 2020 Resources. 2020 Resources LLC, A division of Sky Quarry Inc. 136 East South Temple, Suite 1400 PMB 589. Salt Lake City www.skyquarry.com has filed a notice of intention to revise large mining operations at PR Springs Utah. Permit file M0470090.

From the permit file Utah mine inspector April Abate writes:

On Thu, Jan 7, 2021 at 11:38 AM: “Jamie, We will still need to have the layout the solvent extraction process details in your new mine plan. This will undoubtedly affect the type of equipment and machinery you will be using at the facility. This will likely change at least some of the equipment currently at the facility that is listed in the bond cost spreadsheets. Once we receive your significant revision to the mine plan, we have 30 days to review it and make comments. Typically we will have comments that require you to respond to so that will be another few weeks for your company to review and submit the responses. Once/if we issue a tentative approval decision, we ask for the new reclamation bond then it will go to a 30-day public comment period. This project has been fiercely contested in the past, so I would expect that you would receive opposition comments to reactivate the operation. If the opposing parties ask for an informal hearing then it could take even longer. Based on my past experience with this operation, your schedule of mid-summer 2021 is probably not very realistic given the time it will take to revise the permit and the potential for opposition given this mine’s history. I just need to be honest with you about this. You should also check in with the Utah Division of Environmental Quality – Groundwater Protection Division to see if they are going to require a groundwater discharge permit for your operation. They may have their own requirements depending upon how you will engineer your solvent extraction system.”

View of mine processing are from Seep Ridge Road

Sky Quarry bought a bankrupt project that has NEVER produced oil commercially. However these people involved seem to have no intention of actually producing a viable product. This mine at PR Springs is an important piece of the charade that is tar sands in Utah. What is being extracted from PR Springs and the other tar sands projects in Utah is investors money.

The companies that run these rip off mines are also damaging the environment. They are polluting waters and leaving a mess on the land. Local businesses in Uintah county have given credit and services to these “Foreign Limited Liability companies” who can bankrupt and default on debts over and over. Meanwhile paying their directors large salaries from investors’ monies.

Sky Quarry makes fantastic claims of clean and green projects to lure investors.

From Sky Quarrys web page: “Sky Quarry is a true green R3 (recycle, reuse, reduce) clean technology company – developing the science, engineering the technology, which will bring in a new era of sustainable recycle and reuse of asphalt shingle waste material and environmentally clean oil (ECO) production.”

Sky Quarry is now describing strip mining as REMEDIATION. A new trend in the tar sands scam circuit.

From Linkedin: ” Environmentally clean, yet collaborative, Sky Quarry’s process removes asphalt bitumen from the asphalt shingle waste, contaminated soil remediation or oil saturated sands, without the use of valuable water resources and limiting the greenhouse gas exposure to our environment.”

Sunset in PR Springs Canyon

Air and water pollution in Uintah County

Posted on July 20, 2019 by craphaelc

Notice of Uncontrolled Air and Water Pollution in Uintah County, Utah and Complaint made by UTSR.

tar sand strip mine Police Substation of Agent Ronald C. Barton, Utah Attorney General’s Office, for SITLA,

Deteriorating exterior insulation on a water tank serving the tar sand strip mine and Uintah County Police Substation.

Please take notice and immediate corrective action regarding the Synthetic Vitreous Fibers (Fiberglass) being dispersed without control into the air and subsequently deposited onto the lands and into the waters of the Uncompahgre reservation in Uintah County, Utah.

US Oil Sand’s, PR Springs tar sands factory and strip mine is spreading dangerous synthetic vitreous fibers on School Trust Lands.

Shredding fiberglass at US Oil sands tar mine creating air and water pollution in Uintah County.

Shredding fiberglass at US Oil sands tar mine is leaving the property and spreading into the natural environment.

The source of the fiberglass is the deteriorating exterior insulation on a water tank serving the tar sand strip mine Police Substation of Agent Ronald C. Barton, Utah Attorney General’s Office, for SITLA, located adjacent to the USOS stripmine and factory on Seep Ridge Road, in Uintah County, Utah.

BACKGROUND:

The tank and uncontrolled dispersing fiberglass is apparently owned by USO (Utah) LLC, a private Delaware corporation based in Canada.

The tank is or was used in a bonded mine plan, M0470090, which was approved by Utah Division of Oil, Gas & Mining.

The tank is on land leased to USO (Utah) LLC., by the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), and is located in Uintah County immediately west of Seep Ridge Road, just south of mile marker one.

Air and water pollution in Uintah County at PR Spings tar mine

Shredding fiberglass at US Oil sands tar mine creating air and water pollution in Uintah County.

The US Government granted the impacted lands to the Uncompahgre Utes on January 5, 1882 by an executive order of President Chester A. Arthur, later the US Government took control of the land from the Ute Tribe through the allotment process. The Uncompahgre reservation boundaries were not diminished and the Ute nation retains jurisdiction on the subject lands.

SITLA subsequently obtained title to these lands in trade with the US Government.

The USO tarsand stripmine went into bankruptcy a couple years ago and the place shuttered up. Recently some activity is occurring. Photos of the deteriorating water tank at the tarsand stripmine show fiberglass entering the environment in large pieces and small and show the water tank’s connection to Attorney General’s Police Substation. A sample of the fiberglass has been collected as indicated.

The Photos are linked HERE:

All of these photos accurately depict the conditions at this site in July 2019

The photos indicate recent activity at the USO stripmine factory site where a gas powered electric generator was placed on and near the water tank dispersing fiberglass in mid July 2019.

How can fiberglass affect my health?

Larger fibers have been found to cause skin, eye and upper respiratory tract irritation. There are other possible health effects:

A rash can appear when the fibers become embedded in the outer layer of the skin. No long-term health effects should occur from touching fiberglass. Eyes may become red and irritated after exposure to fiberglass. Soreness in the nose and throat can result when fibers are inhaled. Asthma and bronchitis is aggravated by exposure to fiberglass. Temporary stomach irritation will occur if fibers are swallowed.

What happens to synthetic vitreous fibers when they enter the environment?

Synthetic vitreous fibers do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water. They are generally not broken down to other compounds in the environment and will remain virtually unchanged over long periods.

Eventually, synthetic vitreous fibers will be broken down if the water or soil is very acidic or very alkaline. Fibers can enter the air, water, and soil from the manufacture, use, and disposal of synthetic vitreous fiber-containing materials. Fibers with small diameters become airborne more easily than thick fibers, and can be transported by wind for longer distances. Synthetic vitreous fibers are not likely to move through soil.

Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2004.

Investor Warning tar sands scam

Posted on April 4, 2018 by craphaelc

Recently Petroteq has been creating press releases and has put out PAID SPONSORED articles on energy websites stating they can produce oil at $20 a barrel. With the price of oil above $45 for the second half of 2016 and averaging about $50 in 2017, why couldn’t they ramp up production of their low-cost $20 a barrel oil? The reason is simple… they can’t produce oil anywhere near $20 a barrel.

Investor warning tar Sands scam! Petroteq is seeking investors to prop up their sketchy project.

In 2017 MCW energy changed names to Petroteq. They have a lot to hide. See the complaint I made in 2016.

MCW trespass settlement

Investor Warning tar sands SCAM, Petroteq near Vernal Utah.

investor warning tar sands scam Petroteq energy

Petroteq tar sands facility is using a diesel generator while claiming to be green house gas free.

excerpts from this article explain the concerns well. I have seen first hand the fraud occurring on land leased from SITLA for tar sands and oil sands strip mining.

https://srsroccoreport.com/biggest-breakthrough-energy-investor-warning/

“the more research I did on Petroteq and its competitors, the more I was convinced that the company’s claims were too good to be true due to old fashion EROI economics as well as several RED FLAGS.

How so? Well, let’s first start off with first Red Flag that takes place in many small-cap companies. And by that, I am referring to the oldest trick in the book… changing the name of the company. Petroteq Energy was previously called MCW Energy Group. On May 4th, 2017 the company announced the name change:”

US Oil Sands PR Springs project sits idle.

Posted on July 24, 2017 by craphaelc

: Seep Ridge road near PR Springs ends at tar mine.

: Empty trailer at sheriffs substation on Seep Ridge road.

: Idle mine pit

: Pile or “ore” has been sitting in the same place since 2017

: Inactive equipment on tar sands mine, PR Springs Utah

: Idle mine equipment at US oil sands failed tar mine

: Exposed tar at PR Springs strip mine

: stripped area on SITLA land

: Dead elk on the haul road at PR Springs mine

: Dead elk on the haul road at PR Springs mine

: Pit one of tar strip

Daily observation shows US Oil Sands mine idle, and a lot of nothing happening at the PR Springs tar processing factory and the million dollar machines that are yet to actually work. The 99 acres including the beloved Children’s Legacy camp site are cleared of visible life. The tar layers are exposed even some “ore” has been collected and piled at the bottom of a giant conveyor belt that never moves. A few workers are on site. No longer needed is the 25 person bus from vernal that arrived every weekday last summer. 2 or 3 vehicles arrive on some days and work in the factory compound. No activity is happening at the mine pit.

US Oil Sands is a scam and may never produce a product

USOS has disclosed the lack of funds and inability to actually operate its process for 30 days as most recently promised and expects to operate for 5 days to show it can. But can it? USOS has been just about to produce oil since 2008. They have paid the corporate heads a lot of money over the years and spent a lot on the “factory” and mine but no oil has been produced. This is a victory for Earth!

My research reveals a lucrative scam that has been enriching some and harming most for many years. There are key players and paid politicians who have been perpetuating the get rich pipe dream.

The truth is tar sands or oil shale strip mining, upgrading into a use-able fuel and delivering to a viable market at a profit is a far off pipe dream in Eastern Utah.

Take a look at Canada and the reality of tar sands mining in Alberta to understand the amount of infrastructure and energy involved in the commercial production of oil. Billions of dollars were spent on the mines, factories and infrastructure to deliver the tar to market before ANY profit was returned on the investment.
Even though policy makers in Utah have repeatedly claimed there is more oil here than in Saudi Arabia the reality is that the tar sands and oil shale are rocks and sand mixed with bitumen or kerogen, lacking the water molecules present in Athabasca tar sands and cannot be extracted the same way it has been done in Canada.

Several attempts have been made and many false claims have been repeated by various start ups and a few big oil names over the years. None of these hopefuls have made any commercial product.
History shows a poor regulatory effort including out right instructions in the record of how to avoid certain regulatory triggers and admitted failure to enforce clean up or “reclamation” policies. Rural communities in have experienced boom and bust cycles with real folks loosing their jobs and homes. All the while US Oil sands CEO’S are paying them selves big salaries for running these great scams.

We continue to resist tar sands and oil shale development by exposing the scams.

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

US Oil Sands Lays off most empolyees, closes facility

Posted on December 6, 2016 by craphaelc

We support Standing Rock and all resistance to DAPL!

As US Oil Sands lays off workers at PR Springs and “shutters” facility. Utah Tar Sands Resistance shares the joy with the Earth and inhabitants of Main and PR Canyons of a halt to the incomplete tar sands processing plant and strip mine at PR Springs.

Tar Sands mining is destructive and wasteful:

US Oil sands has stripped up 95 acres and destroyed Children’s Legacy Camp unnecessarily. US Oil Sands, a Canadian Company has laid off most of its Canadian and American Employees and shuttered the speculative tar sands strip mine. According to a statement USOS released on December 2nd:

“In order to preserve working capital, the Company has temporarily laid off most Canadian and U.S. employees, retaining only those essential to close a financing. Certain U.S. employees may also be retained on a part-time or short-term basis to assist in equipment preservation and lay-up of the facility and to maintain basic U.S. operations.”

The Calgary Herald reports:

“The Calgary company developing an oil sands mine in Utah says it has delayed the project’s startup and temporarily laid off most of its Canadian and American employees while it secures new financing. US Oil Sands said: “the PR Spring project is mechanically complete but requires additional capital to cover the remaining commissioning and startup costs.”

The history of this project shows that they have been promising to begin producing oil nearly every year since 2008. The reality shows that they are exploiting the land, the people and the future. US Oil Sands lays off workers over and over again as part of their operation plan.

The public records at U-DOGM web page shows that US Oil Sands also has numerous items to address in the NOI to commence large mining operations, found here:

The cost of this project is so far from profitable. The public needs to know that the decision makers in Utah are selling them and the school trust lands out. The so called “Green River formation” must be left in the ground, our air, light and water sheds preserved.

US Oil Sands continues to raise money and promises (again) to begin producing oil in 2017. UTSR is building awareness and resistance to stripmines and pipelines everywhere.

UTSR will be resuming our public protest vigil in Spring 2017.

We will host the 5th annual Intergenerational campout in June.

Please consider giving a year end tax deductible donation to UTSR to support our campaign.

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

Utah Tar Sands Resistance

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

Category Archives: US Oil Sands