What are the oil sands?
Oil sands are a mixture of sand, water, clay and bitumen. Bitumen is simply oil that is too heavy or thick to flow or be pumped without being diluted or heated. Canada’s oil sands are found in three deposits – the Athabasca, Peace River and Cold Lake areas in Alberta and part of Saskatchewan. The greatest quantity is found in the Athabasca deposit.
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Why are the oil sands so important to the industry?
Canada’s energy future lies in the oil sands. Our country possesses approximately 176 billion barrels of oil that can be recovered with today’s technology. Of that number, 173 billion are located in the oil sands.
Find out more about the importance of oil sands development
What are the main issues related to oil sands development?
We understand that Canadians are concerned about oil sands development, and expect that our industry will manage the resource responsibly. The oil sands have generated much public debate, and with that, some misinformation. It’s important to separate fact from fiction, to ensure we all know and understand the truth about oil sands development. There are a number of environmental issues in the oil sands, all of which require a commitment to technology and innovation to overcome.
Find out more about the issues related to oil sands development and what our industry is doing to address them
What is natural gas?
Natural gas is a form of energy that most Canadians use daily to heat their homes. It is also often used for household appliances, climate control systems and some vehicles, such as those that run on propane. There is a wide variety of natural gas types, with various types in different formations across the country. British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories all have significant natural gas resources.
Read more about Canada’s Natural Gas resource
What is our oil resource?
We all use oil in our every day lives. Oil is sometimes called conventional or light crude oil to distinguish itself from heavier oil and oil sands. It is pumped to the surface through wells either on land or offshore. From there, it is transported through pipelines to refineries where it is upgraded into products like the gasoline we fill our cars with, as well as heating oil and jet fuel.
Read more about Canada’s oil
Read more about unique initiatives in our Innovation Stories section
What’s happening in each of Canada’s provinces and territories?
Our industry, while national in scope, does vary from province to province depending on the resources available.
Read more about what’s being done in each of the provinces and territories