46 Luis D. Virla et al.
divided in three major deposits – Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River oil
sands – which are the world’s third- largest proven oil reserves (see Figure 4.1)
(Alberta Energy Regulator, 2015). Two methods are vastly used to recover the
oil sands deposits: surface mining and in- situ recovery. Most of the efforts are
put on developing technologies to decrease production cost and the
environmental impact of the oil sands while keeping a competitive price for
exports to the international markets.
The Alberta oil sands in Canada are one of the biggest fossil- fuel energy
resources in the world. For Canada, the fossil- fuel sector is both a major
economic driver and source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By 2016,
energy contributed to 9.9% of Canada’s GDP, of which 2.2% was from crude oil
(Natural Resources Canada, 2018). Canada is ranked as one of the world’s top
ten emitters, contributing 1.6% of global emissions (International Energy
Agency, 2015). Fossil- fuel production and transportation are the largest
contributing sectors to the total GHG emissions in the country, with 27% and
23% of contributions respectively (Natural Resources Canada, 2016). Alberta
contributed 37.4% of national emissions in 2014, representing the biggest
emitter among all Canadian provinces (Environment and Climate Change
Canada, 2017).
Canada has the second largest oil reserves in the world, most of which primarily
exist in the form of crude bitumen. The majority of proven reserves are found in
oil sands in western Canada. Unproven reserves, however, are expected to be
Figure 4.1 Location of Alberta’s oil sands areas and selected deposits.
Source: Alberta Energy Regulator, 2015.
divided in three major deposits – Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River oil
sands – which are the world’s third- largest proven oil reserves (see Figure 4.1)
(Alberta Energy Regulator, 2015). Two methods are vastly used to recover the
oil sands deposits: surface mining and in- situ recovery. Most of the efforts are
put on developing technologies to decrease production cost and the
environmental impact of the oil sands while keeping a competitive price for
exports to the international markets.
The Alberta oil sands in Canada are one of the biggest fossil- fuel energy
resources in the world. For Canada, the fossil- fuel sector is both a major
economic driver and source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By 2016,
energy contributed to 9.9% of Canada’s GDP, of which 2.2% was from crude oil
(Natural Resources Canada, 2018). Canada is ranked as one of the world’s top
ten emitters, contributing 1.6% of global emissions (International Energy
Agency, 2015). Fossil- fuel production and transportation are the largest
contributing sectors to the total GHG emissions in the country, with 27% and
23% of contributions respectively (Natural Resources Canada, 2016). Alberta
contributed 37.4% of national emissions in 2014, representing the biggest
emitter among all Canadian provinces (Environment and Climate Change
Canada, 2017).
Canada has the second largest oil reserves in the world, most of which primarily
exist in the form of crude bitumen. The majority of proven reserves are found in
oil sands in western Canada. Unproven reserves, however, are expected to be
Figure 4.1 Location of Alberta’s oil sands areas and selected deposits.
Source: Alberta Energy Regulator, 2015.