Alberta Tar Sands Sustainability Report - 1264 Words

Alberta Tar Sands Sustainability Report Introduction Tar sands are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen. As a type of unconventional petroleum deposit, tar sands are found in many places worldwide, the largest deposits are found in Alberta, Canada. The Alberta tar sand deposits contain more than 70.8% of the world s reserves of natural bitumen which representing 40% of the world’s combined extra-heavy crude oil and crude bitumen reserves. It is the only bitumen deposits that are economically recoverable for conversion to synthetic crude oil at the price range of $25-$35 per barrel. Although substantial amount of the world s oil is in the form of tar sands, it is not all recoverable. Study shows that the world’s total natural†¦show more content†¦Resource Use: Grade: F First of all, the mining of bitumen burns enough natural gas every day that can heat 6 million homes. It takes more than 3 million barrels of fresh water a day to produce 1 billion barrels of bitumen, 2 tons of earth excavation and sand to make 1 barrel of bitumen, about 2 tons of tar sands are required to produce 1barrel of oil and then 90% of the polluted water are dumped in the world’s largest impoundments of toxic waste which are the tailing pounds along the Athabasca River. If tar sands growth goes unchecked an area the size of Florida will become a wasteland. A single incident, in 2008, 1,600 ducks died after landing in the tailing pounds of syncrude tar sands mine. It is not only destructive to ancestral lands, habitat, both on land and water but also causes enormous GHG emissions. Data shows that oil sands are Canada’s largest source of CO2 emissions. That being said, the development of tar sand oil will never be sustainable. Wealth: Grade: D The tar sand oil project mostly benefits the pipeline transport companies like Keystone and Enbridge. Even though the project does create job for the natives and locals, but the benefit to the people will never be even close to the social environmental cost that they put in, that Canadians put in. Governance: Grade: F The government has surrendered the fate of this resource-rich country toShow MoreRelatedKeystone Xl Pipeline Is Doing More Harm Than Good2341 Words   |  10 Pagesthan good. I. In the U.S, the Keystone XL Pipeline is doing more harm than good to the environment. A. Some people think the Keystone XL Pipeline could be environmentally damaging. 1. Production of oil-sands creates 17% more carbon pollution. 2. Environmental damage from a leak of heavy-oil-sands. B. Many people think the Pipeline could be contributing to global warming. C. The Pipeline will also result in environmental impacts during construction and operation. II. Some people believe that theRead MoreOil And Gas Industry : A Canadian Necessity2858 Words   |  12 PagesEqualization plan in which Alberta has not received a payment since the 1960’s. Although the oil and gas industry is detrimental to the environment, it is a necessity to the life the majority of Canadians take for granted and the notion that we can simply turn off the oil spigot and turn to natural resources without detrimental economic and societal impacts is unfounded, unrealistic, and without logic. Advocates for the end of the production of oil and gas in Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan claimRead MoreBp Sustainability Essay28986 Words   |  116 PagesSustainability Review 2010 bp.com/sustainability 2 A letter from our group chief executive / 4 How BP is changing 6 Gulf of Mexico oil spill / 14 How we operate / 22 Energy future 30 Safety / 34 Environment / 38 Society Within hours of the Deepwater Horizon accident, BP teams were working to stop the leak. We also acted to minimize the spill’s impact on the environment by containing, removing and dispersing oil offshore, protecting the shoreline and cleaning up oil that came ashore. And we