February 2016 the future of the canadian oil sands. Analysis of current and historical surface water monitoring programs and activities in the athabasca oil sands area, to 2011 20. The geology of the oil sands oil sands albertas energy. Oil sands facts, statistics and indicators are subject to change as new information becomes available. Cover of sidney blairs report on the alberta bituminous sands commissioned by the government of alberta, 1950 source.
The completed alberta government oil sands project plant, ca. A plan to unlock billions of barrels of oil from utahs sands. During the same year, 11% of albertas oil was delivered to refineries in other parts of canada, and 74% was exported to u. Canadian oil sands have the potential to continue to provide ever greater fuel supply reliability to the united.
In the oil sands, ultimate potential reserves, or the oil estimated to be recoverable as technology improves, are estimated at more than 300 billion barrels. Biodegradation and origin of oil sands in the western canada. Biodegradation and origin of oil sands in the western. Almost everyone, from oil company ceos to hollywood stars, has offered their opinions. The responsible development of oil sands is a key driver of albertas and canadas economy. Oil sands oil sands are a natural mixture of sand, water, clay and bitumen. The exploration of oil sands significantly increased canadas total oil reserves from approximately five billion barrels to an estimated 173 billion, meaning canada has the third largest oil reserve in the world, with 97 per cent of the oil in the form of oil sands.
In 1967 suncor helped pioneer the commercial development of canada s oil sands, one of. Coswf stock, price quote and chart, trading and investing tools. Crude oil produced from these tar sands is one of the worlds dirtiest and most environmentally destructive sources of fuel. Apr 03, 2012 canada holds 175 billion barrels of oil in reserves, the third highest right after saudi arabia and venezuela. Whereas the athabasca oil sands lie close enough to the surface that the sand can be scooped up in openpit mines, and brought to a central location for processing, the peace river deposits are considered too deep, and are exploited in situ using steamassisted gravity drainage sagd heating through the injection of steam, that reduces the bitumens viscosity, allowing it to be pumped to the.
Oil sands oil sands are a natural mixture of sand, water and bitumen. Over millions of years, that oil became trapped in thick layers of sand. In order to put the history of albertas oil and gas industry into context, it helps to take a look at the early history of the canadian petroleum industry. Here we have gas over water over oil oil or bitumen over another water zone, all in the same continuous pressure regime. History of the oil sands although the oil sands of alberta have only been developed commercially since the late 1960s, their documented history dates back nearly three centuries to 1717, when waupisoo of the cree people brought samples of the oil sands to the hudsons bay company trading post at fort churchill ercb 2008b. Western canadian select explained western canadian select is canada s largest heavy crude oil stream, comprised of bitumen, conventional oil, synthetic crude and condensate. Environmental impacts of oil sands energy education. A large number of oil sands mines are currently in operation and more are in the stages of approval or development. Institute for oil sands innovation iosi faculty of. Environmental defence has released a report calling the alberta oil sands the most destructive project on earth few canadians know that canada is home to one of the worlds largest dams and it is built to hold toxic waste from just one tar sands operation, rick smith. Bitumen bitumen is oil that is too heavy or thick to flow on its own. History of development, prospects for the future, january 17. Can canada develop its climate leadership and its lucrative oil sands too. Chris bourdeau, a spokesperson for alberta environment, says this is an unfair characterization of the impact of oil sands.
An overview of heavy oil properties and its recovery and transportation methods 573 brazilian journal of chemical engineering vol. Peace river, cold lake and athabasca figure 1, table 1. In canada, oil sands production in general, and insitu extraction, in particular, are the largest contributors to the increase in the nations ghg emissions. Oil sand and depleted gas zone this case history shows an unusual fluid distribution. Athabasca oil sands conference establishes an alberta oil sands policy and stimulates commercial interest in the. The syncrude canada mine was the second to open in 1978, shell canada opened its muskeg river mine albian sands in 2003 and canadian natural resources ltd cnrl opened its horizon oil sands project in 2009. Forecast total oil sands production in canada 20152035. So in spite of the history of mistrust, some first. The alberta energy and utility board estimates that these contain about 1. Albertas first commercial oil sands operation started in 1967. Location canada s oil sands are found in three deposits the. The oil sands or tar sands, are a mixture of sand, water, clay and a type of oil called bitumen. Find out more about tight and shale resources across canada. In 1967 suncor helped pioneer the commercial development of canada s oil sands, one of the largest petroleum resource basins in the world.
Albertas oil sands were formed millions of years ago, as tiny marine creatures died and drifted to the sea floor and were covered by layers of sediment that exerted enough pressure and temperatures to transform the organic matter into oil. They include the vast oil sands of northern alberta, and the heavy oil reservoirs that surround the small city of lloydminster, which sits on the border between alberta and saskatchewan. The battle escalates over how quickly to clean up the giant pools of goop and who will pay. Some bitumen is found within 200 feet from the surface but the majority is deeper underground. One of the worlds largest oil deposits is in the bituminous sands of alberta, canada. Because of canada s unique geography, geology, resources and patterns of settlement, however, it developed in different ways. Initially, government was the primary sponsor of this research, but as time passed industry also became involved in unlocking the secrets of the oil sands. Perhaps one of the ways to address this fear is to look to the past, and examine the history of albertan oil and gas. The athabasca oil sands, also known as the athabasca tar sands, are large deposits of bitumen or extremely heavy crude oil, located in northeastern alberta, canada roughly centred on the boomtown of fort mcmurray. By 2025, production from canadian oil sands is expected to rise from about 1. The future of the canadian oil sands oxford institute for energy.
Historical overview of the fort mcmurray area and oil sands. Two different methods are used to produce oil from the oil sands surface. Canada s political climate is extremely stable compared to that in many other oil producing countries. Oil sands discovery centrethe website for the oil sands discovery centre in fort mcmurray, alberta. The project is located in northeastern alberta, approximately 110 kilometres north of fort mcmurray. Oil sands simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The oil sands are a mixture of sand, clay and water together with a dense and extremely sticky form of petroleum referred to as bitumen. Canadian oil sands facts and information natural gas intel.
History of the petroleum industry in canada wikipedia. A geological survey of canada field party hauling a scow up the athabasca river, alberta, in 1914. Bitumen bitumen is oil that is too heavy or thick to flow or be pumped without being diluted or heated. Canadas oilsands region now facing 340 billion gallons of. It creates jobs and tax revenue for government which support the social programs and capital infrastructure projects we rely on.
The frontier oil sands mine project, proposed by teck resources limited includes the construction, operation and reclamation of an oil sands surface mine with a production capacity of about 260,000 barrels per day of bitumen. Natural bitumen is found in many countries, with the largest quantities in canada, kazakhstan and russia. Oil from sand oil boom in the canadian sand pictures. Here are the pros and cons of tar sands to consider. Athabasca oil sands conference establishes an alberta oil sands policy and stimulates commercial interest in the resource. Canada s oil sands region now facing 340 billion gallons of toxic sludge. Inter pipeline fund oversees one of canada s biggest petroleum and petrochemical transport, pipeline and storage business. It must be diluted, pumped without being diluted or heated. Alberta oil sands most destructive project on earth. Focuses on the history, science, and technology of the oil sands. Pdf we analyze the status of canadian oil sands and examine future prospects.
The pembina institute canadian aboriginal concerns with oil sands 5 first nations communities across alberta and canada have issued several resolutions including calls for a moratorium on oil sands approvals. History of the oil sands regional aquatics monitoring. Since 2004, when a substantial portion of canadas oil sands were deemed economic, canada, with about 175 billion barrels of proved oil sands. I t has been reported that oil sand deposits in alberta. The canadian petroleum industry arose in parallel with that of the united states. Oil sands, also known as tar sands, are sediments or sedimentary rocks composed of sand, clay minerals, water, and bitumen. The environmental impact of the oil sands is an issue that has been extremely divisive. Backers say their method will avoid the environmental toll incurred in canada s oil sands some others arent so sure. Project historical databases for the canadian oil sands cost. The present level of energy generation cannot meet. Oilsandssee reports and articles about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of oil sands production and transportation in canada. Oil goes into a tailings pond at the suncor tar sands operations near fort mcmurray, alberta, sept.
The figure rises to 315 billion barrels of potentially recoverable oil from the oil sands as extraction. Alberta government issues report on oil sands potential. Oil sands account for about 46% of canada s total oil production and oil sands. Some bitumen is found within 70 metres 200 ft from the surface but the majority is deeper underground. Thanks to innovation and technology we can recover oil from the oil sands, providing energy security for the future. Sidney kidder, sidney blair, george hume, and elmer adkins l to r at the edmonton portion of the athabasca oil sands conference at the university of alberta, 1951 source. History of development, prospects for the future summary when it comes to future reliable oil supplies, canada s oil sands will likely account for a greater share of u. Many years of scientific study were required in order to develop an understanding of the nature, extent and origin of albertas oil sands. Albertas oil production and where it goes formated. Comparing venezuelan and canadian heavy oil and tar sands. History of development, prospects for the future summary when it comes to future reliable oil supplies, canadas oil sands will likely account for a greater share of u. Oil sands operations that use little or no water, consume less energy, generate lower greenhouse gas emissions and yield highquality products at lower costs.
They contain enough oil to make canada an energy superpower but at what cost and to whose benefit. Until now the story of canadas oil sands has only been partially. Tar sands mining and drilling in canada s boreal forest is the largest and most destructive project on earth. Inplace bitumen resources in the alberta oil sands are estimated at 50 billion barrels. The oil is in the form of bitumen, a very heavy liquid or sticky black solid with a low melting temperature.
The oil sands deposits in the western canada sedimentary basin wcsb comprise of at. Canada s oil sands are the largest deposit of crude oil on the planet. The economic potential of the oil sands was recognized by charles mair in 1908, who wrote, that this region is stored with a substance of great economic value is beyond all doubt, and, when the hour of development comes, it will, i believe, prove to be one of the wonders of northern canada. The oil sands deposits in the western canada sedimentary basin wcsb comprise of at least 85% of the total immobile bitumen in place in the world and are so. Alberta government oil sands project plant at bitumount succeeds in separating crude oil from oil sands. Collectively these deposits underlie approximately. Canadas political climate is extremely stable compared to that in many other oilproducing countries. Canada also has significant potential tight oil resources. In situ recovery methods will be required to tap the 90 percent of reserves that are too deeply buried to be surface mined.
This statistic shows canada s total oil sands production from 1967 to 2018, measured in thousand cubic meters. Most of the worlds oil sand resources are located in alberta, canada. This innovative thrust has developed in part because of the great exploitation difficulties experienced in canada and the greater maturity of the sedimentary basin. Crains petrophysical handbook oil sand and depleted gas. The heavy oil is called bitumen, which is defined as oil that is too heavy or thick to flow or be pumped without being diluted or heated.
Oil sands 101 offers an evenhanded look at key aspects of canada s most controversial and expensive mega project. Oil sands, or tar sands are an unconventional source of petroleum. Learn more about how oil sands deposits are developed, from the ground to your gas tank, and beyond. As with the extraction and use of any fossil fuel, negative environmental effects arise as a result of the extraction, upgrading, and processing of bitumen from the oil sands. According to a study ordered by the government of alberta, canada, conducted by jacobs engineering group, carbon emissions from oil sand crude are 12% higher than from conventional oil. Oil sands account for about 46% of canadas total oil production and oil sands production is increasing as conventional. Growth potential of a unique resource amidst regulation, egress, cost, and price uncertainty 5 preface this research was conceived with two central objectives. Pdf the economics of canadian oil sands researchgate. About canadas oil sands calgary economic development. Oil sands are a natural mixture of sand, water, clay, and bitumen. These oil sands, hosted primarily in the mcmurray formation, consist of a mixture of crude bitumen a semisolid rocklike form of crude oil, silica sand, clay minerals, and water. The canadian oil sands account for 170 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the oil sands deposits of northern alberta. The evolution of the petroleum sector has been a key factor in the history of canada, and helps illustrate how the country became quite distinct from her neighbour to the south. With the plunge in oil prices in fall 2008, many producers began canceling or postponing plans to expand oil sands development projects, but this turn of events could yet reverse, as canadas vast oil sands deposits are lauded as a secure source of imported oil for the united states.
Apr 14, 2017 exodus from canada s oil sands continues as energy giants shed assets. Oil production in canada occurs predominantly at three sources. The vast majority of canada s oil is produced in alberta. The oil production history of canada remains unique in the world. A compilation of waterrelated monitoring programs and activities in the athabasca oil sands area prior to the joint canada alberta implementation plan for oil sands monitoring.
The history of albertan oil and gas canada history and. Additional reserves are located under the beaufort sea arctic, along the pacific coast, and in the gulf of st. Openpit mining and hot water extraction methods, which involve the handling of huge tonnages of earth materials, are being employed in the two commercial plants now operating. Today, energy companies in canada are actively developing this dirty fuel. Canadas oilsands region now facing 340 billion gallons of toxic sludge.
Canadian oil sands limited was a canadian company that generates income from its oil sands investment in the syncrude joint venture. Oil sands are naturally occurring geologic formations that contain a mixture of water, sand and thick, heavy oil that can be found in many parts of the world. Syncrude operated an oil sands facility and produced crude oil through the mining of oil sands from ore deposits in the athabasca region of northern alberta, canada. In 2011 it was believed the reserve amounted to 170. Oil sands 101 lecture notes petroleum history society.
Canadas oilsands region now facing 340 billion gallons. Lipsett department of mechanical engineering, university of alberta, canada abstract as world energy demands increase, so will the exploration and exploitation of alternative energy resources. Facts about albertas oil sands and its industry open government. The formation of oil sands oil sands albertas energy. Canada s oil sands and heavy oil resources are among the worlds great petroleum deposits. The largest oil sands reserves are located in canada. This is the vision of the institute for oil sands innovation iosi at the university of alberta. An oil sands worker checks the oil during the first step of separation at the suncor processing plant at their tar sands operations near fort mcmurray, alberta. History of the petroleum industry in canada oil sands and. The future of the canadian oil sands oxford institute for.