Abstract
Considerable reserves of oil sands are located in northernAlberta. Exploitation of these reserves has been instrumental in the development of theAlbertaeconomy. Mining and processing techniques, including “in situ” processing and surface mining/aqueous treatment, are presented. Oil assisted flotation and solvent extraction are discussed as possible future processing alternatives. Subsequent froth treatment and refining methods are described. The rapid expansion of bitumen processing in theFort McMurrayarea has drastically affectedAlberta’s economic, political and social policy. Corresponding strain has been placed on the regional ecosystem. A comparison between wind and bitumen as sources of energy is offered.
Highlights
Alberta is the only province in Canada with no accumulated dept and triple A credit rating [1]
The executive vice president of Suncor Energy notes that Alberta and the federal governments introduced royalty and fiscal regimes which “recognize the large scale, up-front capital investments required for oil sands development and the long-term nature of project payouts—for both the project developers and the economy as a whole” [2]
It is estimated that carbon dioxide emissions during bitumen processing are 15% higher than those associated with processing of conventional oil reserves [2]
Summary
Alberta is the only province in Canada with no accumulated dept and triple A credit rating [1]. The major explanation is the exploitation of the world’s largest reserve of bitumen in the Athabasca, Cold Lake and Peace River regions of Northern Alberta near the city of Fort McMurray (Figure 1). In the Athabasca region, there is a layer of clay and shale (sand) above the limestone floor. This layer of sand is saturated with bitumen. The mixture of sand and bitumen has been termed as “oil sand” [1]. (2014) Extraction of Energy Resources—Exploitation of the Canadian Oil Sands. This article will describe mining and processing techniques specific to Canadian oil sand operations. The economics of oil sand exploitation will be outlined with emphasis on Canada’s place in the world market. The environmental impact of oil sand exploitation will be presented leading to a comparison between reserves, energy potential and environmental impacts of oil sand exploitation and wind energy exploitation
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