It is speculated that the oil sands formed as a result of ancient oceans that existed millions of years ago, covering the areas where the oil sands exist today. As the microscopic marine life within the oceans died, they decomposed with the help of bacteria. The bacteria removed the oxygen and nitrogen, leaving mainly hydrogen and carbon.
How is petroleum produced in the oil sands?
PROCESS OVERVIEW. Petroleum products are produced from the oil sands through 3 basic steps: Extraction of the bitumen from the oil sands, where the solids and water are removed. Upgrading of the heavy bitumen to a lighter, intermediate crude oil product. Refining of the crude oil into final products such as gasoline, lubricants and diluents.
What is the history of oil sands?
Oil sands research began in Canada in the 1920s. The Alberta Research Council sponsored early research on separating bitumen from oil sands. Experimentation continued through the 1960s without significant commercial production. Then in 1967 The Great Canadian Oil Sands Company began commercial production, producing about 12,000 barrels per day.
What is an oil sands deposit?
Oil sands, tar sands, crude bitumen, or bituminous sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit. Oil sands are either loose sands or partially consolidated sandstone containing a naturally occurring mixture of sand, clay, and water, soaked with bitumen, a dense and extremely viscous form of petroleum .
How does oil sands extraction affect land and water resources?
[116] Oil sands extraction can affect the land when the bitumen is initially mined, water resources by its requirement for large quantities of water during separation of the oil and sand, and the air due to the release of carbon dioxide and other emissions. [117]
Where are oil sands formed?
Oil sands deposits are found in dozens of countries throughout the world. The main deposits are found within Cretaceous rocks in Venezuela and Canada.
When was oil sands formed?
The beginning of modern-day commercial oil sands development began in 1953, when the Great Canadian Oil Sands consortium—which would become Suncor Inc. in 1979—was formed. Construction of the Great Canadian Oil sands plant began in 1964, and production began in 1967.
Why do oil sands exist?
Alberta's 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. Over millions of years, that oil became trapped in thick layers of sand.
Who produces oil sands?
Oil sands were by then the source of 62% of Alberta's total oil production and 47% of all oil produced in Canada....Oil sands production in the 21st century.Mine(m3/day)Barrels per daySuncor mine31,000195,000Syncrude mine41,700262,000Shell Canada mine26,800169,0002 more rows
How much oil is left in the oil sands?
Alberta's oil sands has the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world, after Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Alberta's oil sands' proven reserves equal about 165.4 billion barrels (bbl). Crude bitumen production (mined and in situ) totaled about 2.8 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2017.
How do oil sands develop quizlet?
Oil sands are made up of sand, clay, and somewhere between 1 and 20% bitumen, a heavy form of petroleum. It comes from broken down and chemically altered crude oil deposits.
What is the dirtiest oil in the world?
Tar sandsTar sands are the dirtiest source of oil on Earth. This extreme source of oil is currently being mined mainly in Alberta Canada, however, oil companies are now pursuing tar sands mines in the U.S. West. Tar sands are composed of clay, sand, water, and bitumen (a heavy black hydrocarbon).
Why is tar sand the world's dirtiest oil?
Tar sands oil is some of the dirtiest oil in the world. One of the byproducts is petcoke, or petroleum coke. It's a coal-like substance that builds up in piles in refineries that process tar sands, and those petcoke piles pose major health risks to the communities that surround them.
Why are oil sands bad for the environment?
Oil sand extraction results in the accumulation of large amounts of residual waste known as tailings, which contain a mixture of water, clay, un-recovered bitumen and solvent, and dissolved chemicals, including some organic compounds that are toxic. These tailings are stored in large ponds similar to water dams.
What type of oil is in the oil sands?
bitumenThe oil sands (or tar sands as they are sometimes inaccurately referred to), are a mixture of sand, water, clay and a type of oil called bitumen.
How deep are oil sands mines?
Mined oil sands deposits are normally less than 50 meters below the surface but can be as deep as 75 meters below grade. Anything deeper cannot be economically mined since too much waste material needs to be removed before the bitumen-rich oil sands can be accessed.
Is oil sands renewable resource?
With the profits flowing to corporations and the long term costs being borne by the public, the Alberta oil sands are not a sustainable resource and their environmental impact will be borne for generations.
When was oil first found in Alberta?
Herron has been credited for discovering and laying the ground for the development of Alberta's first well that gushed oil nearly a 100 years ago on May 14, 1914. Herron didn't accomplish his feat alone, of course.
When did Canada start mining oil sands?
1967Commercial-scale production from Alberta's oil sands started in 1967 when the Great Canadian Oil Sands (now Suncor Energy) started operation.
Why are oil sands bad for the environment?
Oil sand extraction results in the accumulation of large amounts of residual waste known as tailings, which contain a mixture of water, clay, un-recovered bitumen and solvent, and dissolved chemicals, including some organic compounds that are toxic. These tailings are stored in large ponds similar to water dams.
When was oil discovered in Fort McMurray?
In 1875 “oil springs” (seeps) were found on the Peace River by John Macoun of the Geological Survey of Canada.
Where are the oil sands located?
OIL SANDS GEOLOGY AND PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN. About 10% of the world's oil reserves are located in the Alberta oil sands. These deposits are estimated to hold almost 2 trillion barrels of oil, but less than 10% (about 165 billion barrels) can economically be recovered with current technology.
What percentage of Canada's oil is found in oil sands?
Over 96% of Canada's total oil reserves are contained in the oil sands. Oil sands are a loose sand deposit which contain a very viscous form of petroleum known as bitumen . Oil sands are actually found all over the world, and are sometimes referred to as tar sands or bituminous sands.
How are petroleum products made?
Petroleum products are produced from the oil sands through 3 basic steps: Extraction of the bitumen from the oil sands, where the solids and water are removed. Upgrading of the heavy bitumen to a lighter, intermediate crude oil product.
How to extract bitumen from oil sands?
There are two ways to extract bitumen from the oil sands: either mine the entire deposit and gravity separate the bitumen, or extract the bitumen in-place (or in-situ) using steam without disturbing the land. The technique used depends on the depth of the deposit. Learn more about how oil sands deposits are developed, ...
Where does Alberta oil come from?
Crude oil from the Alberta oil sands (including diluted bitumen) is primarily transported to US and Canadian refineries by pipeline. About two-thirds of Alberta's exports to the US are destined for the US Midwest, centred around the Chicago area.
How much of the world's oil is state owned?
About 80% of the world's oil reserves are state-owned. Only 20% are open to private investment, almost 50% of which are located in the Alberta oil sands. Learn More about oil sands geology and the properties of bitumen →. PROCESS OVERVIEW. Petroleum products are produced from the oil sands through 3 basic steps:
What is the refining of crude oil?
Refining of the crude oil into final products such as gasoline, lubricants and diluents.
How did oil sands form?
The oil of the oil sands was formed from the marine organisms that fell to the bottom of the vast sea that once covered ancient Alberta. As the Earth itself shifted and re-formed, that oil. migrated north where it became trapped in the huge amounts of quartz sand left behind by the rivers that once drained into the ancient sea.
What was left behind in the Athabasca sands?
As glaciers moved over the sand beds, debris was left behind, and the oil sands were obscured by layers of rock, clay and muskeg, leaving only the outcroppings along the Athabasca and Peace rivers to reveal ...
How is oil sand processed?
At the processing plant, the oil sand is crushed and then treated with hot water and chemicals to liberate the bitumen. The liberated bitumen is then separated from the water, blended with lighter hydrocarbons to reduce its viscosity, and pumped through a pipeline to a refinery.
What are Oil Sands?
Oil sands, also known as "tar sands," are sediments or sedimentary rocks composed of sand, clay minerals, water , and bitumen. The oil is in the form of bitumen, a very heavy liquid or sticky black solid with a low melting temperature. Bitumen typically makes up about 5 to 15% of the deposit.
How is the Oil Removed?
The method used to extract bitumen from an oil sand depends upon how deeply the oil sand is buried. If the oil sand is deeply buried, wells must be drilled to extract the bitumen. If the oil sand is close to the surface, it will be mined and hauled to a processing plant for extraction.
How is bitumen pumped?
At the surface the bitumen is cleaned, blended with lighter hydrocarbons and pumped through a pipeline to a refinery.
What are the environmental impacts of oil sands?
These include: greenhouse gas emissions, land disturbance, destruction of wildlife habitat, and degradation of local water quality.
How is bitumen extracted from oil sand?
Production by Drilling. Bitumen is removed from deeply buried oil sands by drilling wells - a process known as "in-situ recovery.". Several wells are drilled down into the oil sand. Then steam and chemicals are pumped down one well. The hot steam and chemicals soften the bitumen, reduce its viscosity, and flush it to extraction wells ...
What is the largest oil sands deposit in the world?
The Athabasca Oil Sands are the largest oil sands deposit in the world. It is the second-largest accumulation of oil in the world after Saudi Arabia. Image by NASA / Earth Observatory. Enlarge image.
Why are oil sands important to Canada?
Canada’s oil sands are an important part of Canada’s economy and help create jobs across the country, both directly and indirectly.
Where are oil sands found in Canada?
Canada’s oil sands are found in three regions within Alberta and Saskatchewan: Athabasca, Cold Lake and Peace River, which combined cover an area more than 142,000 square kilometres (km2). Contrary to some exaggerated reports, the current active mining footprint is about 1,030 km2 – an area slightly larger than the City of Calgary.
What is the largest oil deposit in Canada?
Canada’s oil sands are the largest deposit of crude oil on the planet. The oil sands (or tar sands as they are sometimes inaccurately referred to), are a mixture of sand, water, clay and a type of oil called bitumen. Thanks to innovation and technology we can recover oil from the oil sands, providing energy security for the future.
Why is bitumen called tar sands?
For that reason, this resource is sometimes called “tar sands,” but that term is incorrect because bitumen and tar ( asphalt) are different compounds. “Oil sands” correctly identifies the end product derived from bitumen: crude oil.
How deep are oil sands in Canada?
About 20% of Canada’s oil sands deposits are within 70 metres (200 feet) of the surface and can be recovered with surface mining, but most oil sands reservoirs are deeper and require drilling and production methods called “in situ,” which creates much less surface land disturbance and mining.
How much land could be impacted by mining?
Only about 3%, (or 4,800 km2) of that land could ever be impacted by mining, and all area is reclaimed after use.
How does sand oil help the economy?
Economic growth:Sand oil from Alberta has spurred a lot of growth recovering the country’s economy. It also boosts the standards of living of people working in the oil sand fields. 5. Low prices: Crude oil extracted from bitumen processed can fit into existing energy infrastructure and this helps to keep oil prices down.
What is tar sand used for?
Most of the tar sand oil produced is used for transportation. This article highlights the pros and cons of oil sands, let’s have a look at them.
How much does Syncrude spend to restore land?
Syncrude Company spends more than $100 million annual to restore land in the mined area. 4.
How much water is needed to wash sands?
High amounts of water:The process requires a large amount of water and chemicals to wash the sands. For each barrel of oil produced, an approximate amount of 2 to 4.5 times of water is required. 8.
Is oil sand recoverable?
Pros and Cons of Oil Sands. Most of the oil has been considered economically recoverable since it lies deep underground and it is mixed with large amounts of bitumen, a tarry substance, sand, and water forming oil sands or tar sands. The mined sand is processed to remove the bitumen and then refined into oil.
Can tar sands cause cancer?
Risk of cancer:Leaks into tailing ponds or rivers from the tar sands pipe system can increase the risk of cancer among the people working in the oil sand fields. Tags: Cons of Oil Sands, Pros of Oil Sands.
