Canada’s prominence as a supplier of energy has been well documented in recent year with considerable focus on Albert’s oil sands. About 97 percent of Canada’s oil reserves are located in the oil sands.

World Oil Reserves

The Oil Sands

Oil sands are composed primarily of sand, bitumen, mineral rich clays and water. Bitumen in its raw state is a heavy, viscous, crude oil. The bitumen is separated from the sand and clay in the extraction plant and subsequently cleaned in a froth treatment process plant. Bitumen is currently sold in two principal forms: either as bitumen blend or as synthetic crude oil. The oil sands are located in three regions of Alberta: Athabasca, Peace River and Cold Lake.

Athabasca Oil Sands Regions

Mining And Extraction Technology Dominates Production In the Oil Sands

Canada’s oil sands produce more than one million barrels of oil per day. By 2020, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers expects production of over three million barrels per day. As bitumen production has increased in recent years, so has public concern regarding the environmental and social impacts of the development. The industry is addressing these concerns by advancing environmental technology and communicating those efforts more diligently.