oilsands
Heavy petroleum source
Oilsands are deposits of sand or clay saturated with bitumen—a thick, tar-like form of petroleum.
Extracting oil from these formations requires mining or steam injection rather than conventional drilling.
Canada's Alberta oilsands represent one of the world's largest petroleum reserves: The oilsands have made Canada a major oil exporter.
Also called tar sands, though the industry prefers oilsands.
Western Canadian province
- AthabascaAlberta river and lake
- energy sectorFuel and electricity businesses
- upgraderThing that improves versions
- royaltiesOngoing payments to creators
Viscous hydrocarbon mixture
- sandstoneCemented grain sediment
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- formationCreation or arrangement
- reservoirLarge water storage basin
overburden · porosity · permeability · stratum · outcrop · seam · Devonian · carbonate
Recovery of something lost
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- greenhouse gasesEmissions that trap heat
- caribouNorth American arctic deer
- boreal forestSubarctic coniferous woodland zone
watershed · deforestation · contamination · remediation · biodiversity · wetlands · air quality · carbon footprint
Deploying capital for returns
- employmentPaid occupation status
- royaltiesOngoing payments to creators
- barrelHooped cylindrical vessel
- exportForeign-bound sale
market · workforce · boom and bust · capital · infrastructure · profitability · revenue · commodities
Extracting earth's resources
- tailingsPost-extraction mineral waste
- draglineHeavy digging machine
- shovelTool for moving earth
- truckHeavy freight vehicle
upgrader · hot water · separation · surface mining · naphtha · open pit · slurry · centrifuge
Alberta
Western Canadian province
- AthabascaAlberta river and lake
- energy sectorFuel and electricity businesses
- upgraderThing that improves versions
bitumen
Viscous hydrocarbon mixture
- sandstoneCemented grain sediment
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- formationCreation or arrangement
reservoir · overburden · porosity · permeability · stratum · outcrop · seam · Devonian · carbonate · clay
reclamation
Recovery of something lost
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- greenhouse gasesEmissions that trap heat
- caribouNorth American arctic deer
boreal forest · watershed · deforestation · contamination · remediation · biodiversity · wetlands · air quality · carbon footprint · water usage
investment
Deploying capital for returns
- employmentPaid occupation status
- royaltiesOngoing payments to creators
- barrelHooped cylindrical vessel
export · market · workforce · boom and bust · capital · infrastructure · profitability · revenue · commodities · trade
mining
Extracting earth's resources
truck · upgrader · hot water · separation · surface mining · naphtha · open pit · slurry · centrifuge · solvent
oilsandssolar power
Energy derived from sunlight
renewable energy · wind energy · hydroelectric power · clean energy · green energy
oilsandsclean technology
Environmentally conscious industrial solutions
pristine wilderness · conservation land · ecological restoration