Oil Sands
Thick
and sticky, like blackstrap molasses. Alberta has enormous reserves of oil
sands. In fact, the province has more than is currently economically possible to
extract. Alberta's three major oil sands deposits are in the Fort McMurray, Cold
Lake and Peace River areas. In 1999, oil sands and heavy oil accounted for near
one-half of Canada's total oil production.
As
Alberta's crude oil reserves diminish, research has begun to focus around
finding an economical way to develop these resources. It is estimated that
further into the 21st century, the oil sands may provide as much as 90 percent
of Canada's oil production.
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