How are Alberta oil sands extracted?
Currently, 20% of oil sands reserves are accessible via mining techniques. Large shovels scoop the oil sand into trucks which then move it to crushers where the large clumps of earth are processed. Once the oil sand is crushed, hot water is added so it can be pumped to the extraction plant.
What type of mining is utilized in the Alberta oil sands?
Surface mining
Surface mining is used to recover oil sands deposits less than 75 metres below the surface, while in-situ technologies are used to recover deeper deposits. The electric and hydraulic shovels used have a capacity of 45 m3 and trucks can carry up to 400 tonnes of ore.
How is tar sands and oil shale extracted?
The bitumen from tar sands can be extracted either through traditional mining techniques — including massive strip mining — or by using a form of in situ as described above. As with oil shale, once released, the bitumen from tar sands must be upgraded and refined further before it’s usable as a fuel source.
How do you extract tar sands?
In-situ mining – if tar sands are too deep to dig up, the bitumen can be extracted by injecting hot steam or solvents to loosen up the bitumen and allow it to flow through a well to the surface.
Why are oil sands 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. In fact, it has become one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions in that country.
How is tar sand formed?
Tar sands (also known as oil sands) are a mixture of mostly sand, clay, water, and a thick, molasses-like substance called bitumen. Common extraction methods include surface mining—where the extraction site is excavated—and “in-situ” mining, where steam is used to liquefy bitumen deep underground.
Can tar sands make gasoline?
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 are tar sands different from conventional oil?
Environmental impacts of tar sands On a lifetime basis, a gallon of gasoline made from tar sands produces about 15% more carbon dioxide emissions than one made from conventional oil. This important difference is attributable to the energy intensive extraction, upgrading, and refining process.
What is the difference between tar sands and oil sands?
The term oil sands refers to a particular type of nonconventional oil deposit that is found throughout the world. Oil sands, sometimes referred to as tar sands, is a mixture of sand, clay, other minerals, water, and bitumen. The bitumen is a form of crude oil that can be separated out from the mixture.
How do you extract shale or tight oil?
Also known as “shale oil,” tight oil is processed into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels—just like conventional oil—but is extracted using hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” Click to enlarge.
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