Frequently Asked Questions About Syncrude
(...)
Where does this oil come from?
Syncrude's crude oil is produced by upgrading a molasses-like substance called bitumen. The process involves mining, extracting and upgrading the bitumen contained in the Athabasca Oil Sand Deposit in northeastern Alberta. The deposit, where the Syncrude operation is located, is the world's largest single oil deposit, containing an estimated 1.6 trillion - 2.5 trillion barrels of bitumen.
How much oil is in Alberta's oil sands deposits?
Alberta's three oil sand deposits — Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River — contain resources that could supply Canada's energy needs for more than 475 years, or total world needs for up to 15 years. The production potential of all the oil sand deposits could be as high as 2.5 trillion barrels of bitumen (five times more than the conventional oil reserves in Saudi Arabia). The Athabasca deposit is twice the size of Lake Ontario.
(...)
--
/ dave /