Alberta's Oil Sands


Alberta has long been Canada's 'energy province.' Albertans' spirit to achieve has made the first 25 years of oil sands development about producing the oil sands competitively in world markets. Through ongoing research and technology work continues to find new and improved ways of recovering this significant resource and reducing the environmental footprint. As we look to the next 25 years, innovation, determination and people realizing possibilities will help our province develop this resource in a responsible way that helps meet the growing global demand for energy.

News Highlights

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Emissions from oil sands comparable to other crude oils

The Alberta Energy Research Institute has released two reports on the Life Cycle Analysis of North American and Imported Crude Oils. The independent reports demonstrate how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil sands derived crude oils are similar to conventional oil production in some areas. View the report. Read the news release

Responsible Actions

 

Responsible Actions: A Plan for Alberta’s Oil Sands outlines Alberta’s long-term vision for the oil sands. Learn more about the plan.

Oil sands or tar sands?

The hydrocarbon mixtures found in northern Alberta have historically been referred to as tar, pitch or asphalt. However, 'oil sands' is now used most often to describe the naturally occurring bitumen deposits. This helps distinguish it from the other terms, which are associated with distilled or man-made products, such as the mixtures used to pave roads.

Oil sands is an accurate term because bitumen, a heavy petroleum product is mixed with the sand. It makes sense to describe the resource as oil sands because oil is what is finally derived from the bitumen.