How do oil sands contribution to Canada energy supply?
Table of Contents
- 1 How do oil sands contribution to Canada energy supply?
- 2 What is oil sand in Canada?
- 3 What is oil sands production?
- 4 What are the benefits of oil sands?
- 5 How do oil sands affect the environment?
- 6 How much energy does the oil sands produce?
- 7 What are 2 positives of developing the oil sands?
- 8 Why are oil sands bad for Canada?
How do oil sands contribution to Canada energy supply?
Oil Sands Supply Chain A strong oil sands sector drives a strong national economy by attracting capital, creating jobs and supporting public services. In 2019, the oil sand industry invested more than $4 billion into the Canadian economy in the form of supplies and services across all provinces (excluding Alberta).
What is oil sand 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. Oil sands are a mixture of sand, water and bitumen (oil that is too heavy or thick to flow on its own).
How is oil sands used as an energy source?
Oil sands are a mixture of sand, clay, water, and bitumen that occur naturally. Bitumen is the fossil fuel component of this sand, and it is a very viscous oil that must be treated and upgraded before it can be used to produce useful fuels such as gasoline.
What is oil sands production?
The oil sands are the third-largest proven oil reserve in the world, representing 166.3 billion barrels (or 97\%) of Canada’s 171 billion barrels of proven oil reserves (technical overview). In 2014, oil sands production was 2.2 million barrels per day.
What are the benefits of oil sands?
- Very large supply. Second largest oil field in the world.
- Economically recoverable at today’s oil prices.
- Will help keep oil prices relatively low.
- Enormous growth potential.
- Big economic driver in Alberta.
- Stable source country (a rarity for oil)
- GHG emissions could potentially be minimized through CCS.
What do we use oil sands for?
Tar sands (also known as oil sands) are a mixture of mostly sand, clay, water, and a thick, molasses-like substance called bitumen. Bitumen is made of hydrocarbons—the same molecules in liquid oil—and is used to produce gasoline and other petroleum products.
How do oil sands affect the environment?
Further, it is estimated that the mining of oil sands creates more carbon pollution than conventional crude oil extraction, contributing to climate warming [10]. Producing oil sands emits three to four times more greenhouse gases than ordinary oil.
How much energy does the oil sands produce?
Travis Davies, manager of media and issues at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, disputes Hughes’ calculations. He said oil sands create 6 to 10 energy units for each energy unit used, but he did not cite a source for those figures.
What is oil sand mining?
Mining refers to the oil sands extraction process whereby large amounts of earth are removed, mixed with water and transported by pipeline to a plant, where the bitumen is separated.
What are 2 positives of developing the oil sands?
Very large supply. Second largest oil field in the world.
Why are oil sands bad for Canada?
And it is bad. In fact, oil from tar sands is one of the most destructive, carbon-intensive and toxic fuels on the planet. Producing it releases three times as much greenhouse gas pollution as conventional crude oil does. And Canadian oil companies are now bringing their dirty business into the United States.
What is oil energy?
Oil energy is a non-renewable source of energy. It is a fossil fuel. Other fossil fuels are coal and natural gas. Oil has been used for more than 5000 years. Oil energy is mostly used in cars and various other automobiles.