What Are Oil Sands?
Oil sands, also known as tar sands, are a mixture of sand, clay, water, and bitumen—an extremely dense and viscous form of crude oil. Bitumen extraction requires specialized technology because it is too thick to flow naturally. There are two primary methods for extracting bitumen: mining and in-situ recovery.
Oil sands are predominantly located in areas like northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, and can also be found in Venezuela, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
Key Takeaways
- Oil sands or tar sands are sand and rock materials which contain crude bitumen, a dense and viscous liquid._
- The end product of oil sands is conventional oil, but the extraction process is more costly and environmentally impactful compared to other methods._
- Canada holds one of the largest proven oil reserves globally, contributing significantly to its economy._
Understanding Oil Sands
The oil derived from oil sands is comparable in quality to conventional oil, yet the process of extraction is far more intensive—leading to higher costs and substantial environmental consequences. Oil sands extraction results in large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, land destruction, wildlife disruption, and water pollution. Despite the environmental concerns, oil sands are a critical economic driver, especially for Canada, strongly supporting both employment and national revenues.
It is estimated that Canada holds around 171 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, with approximately 166.3 billion barrels lying within Alberta’s oil sands. This vast resource places Canada third globally in terms of oil reserves.
Process of Extracting Oil From Oil Sands
Surface Mining: This method begins with clearing large tracts of land to expose the oil sands. Using huge trucks and shovels, the sand is excavated and transported for processing and upgrading to obtain gasoline, jet fuel, and other petroleum products. However, surface mining is extremely damaging, disrupting vast land areas and ecosystems.
In-Situ Recovery: For bitumen deposits buried deep underground, in-situ methods are employed. Techniques like steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) are used to inject steam and chemicals deep into the earth to separate bitumen from sand and pump it to the surface. Although more costly, in-situ recovery has a less dramatic environmental footprint than surface mining, affecting only a few hundred meters of land space.
Given that around 80% of Alberta’s oil sands are too deep for surface mining, in-situ methods are poised to become increasingly essential for future oil extraction.
Environmental Protection and Oil Sands
The extensive environmental impact of oil sands extraction has been a major point of contention, particularly concerning pipelines connecting extraction sites to markets like the United States.
Organizations like Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) are dedicated to advancing research and solutions to reduce the environmental impact. These initiatives include managing wildfire risks, preserving vegetation, and improving industrial practices to safeguard the environment while sustaining the economic benefits of oil sands operations.
Related Terms: Crude Oil, Bitumen, Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage, Oil Reserves, Petroleum.
References
- Natural Resources Canada. “Oil Resources”.
- Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. “Land Reclamation”.
- Oil Sands Discovery Centre. “Facts About Alberta’s Oil Sands and its Industry”, Page 9.
- Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance. “About”.
