Alberta's oil sands’ proven reserves equal about 165.4 billion barrels (bbl). Photos by Garth Lenz. Reclaiming Alberta's oil sands mines At left, one of the original mine pits at Syncrude's Mildred Lake oil sands mine in Alberta, Canada. Tar Sands Art: Dramatic before and after images of Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada. Disturbing Aerials Reveal Canada’s Vast Tar Sand Mines. The Oil Sands Of Alberta. Crude bitumen production (mined and in situ) totalled about 2.8 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2017. The Alberta oil sands have been in commercial production since the original Great Canadian Oil Sands (now Suncor Energy) mine began operation in 1967. ... "Here we are sitting there having a drink after work and somebody said this isn't going to, it isn't possible. 6 years ago. Large enough to be seen from space, tailings ponds in Alberta’s oil sands region are some of the biggest human-made structures on Earth. ... Alberta. The Athabasca oil sands are the largest segment of the economy in Alberta, making up just over 30 percent of the gross domestic product. What is the matter with people that they think this is acceptable? u/13Man. There is no doubt of the amount of environmental damage that is occurring due to unsafe exploitation of the Tar Sands. This recent Suncor approval highlights the staggering and growing cumulative environmental footprint of the Alberta tar sands. Syncrude's second mine began operation in 1978 and is the biggest mine of any type in the world. Close. TAR SANDS RECLAMATION. On the other hand, they offer a stable source of energy and economic growth. A scary world we have entered into, in which oil companies like Shell think this is sustainability! The evolution of Canada's oil sands industry over three decades is visible from space, as newly released NASA satellite images show its growing mark by the Athabasca River. In 1717, fur trader Henry Kelsey was recorded as the first European to have seen the oil sands after Waupisoo of the Cree people brought a sample to the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post in the Athabasca region. ... as a person who has been to alberta, i can personally guarantee this is bullshit. History of the Oil Sands Although the oil sands of Alberta have only been developed commercially since the late 1960s, their documented history dates back nearly three centuries to 1717, when Waupisoo of the Cree people brought samples of the oil sands to the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post at Fort Churchill (ERCB 2008b). Tar sands take 3 barrels of water to process every barrel of oil extracted. The top layer of muskeg and earth (right), and the underlying tar sands (left) after the removal of the muskeg, at the Syncrude tar sands operations near Fort McMurray, Alberta, on September 17, 2014. Surface mining of tar sands near Fort McMurray, Alberta leaves huge, teeth-like marks in the landscape. At right, the same area after reclamation. For all of these reasons, some groups have labeled the oil sands an environmental menace. Alberta's oil sands has the third largest oil reserves in the world, after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. A new book of aerial photographs, Beautiful Destruction, captures the awesome scale and devastating impact of Alberta’s oil sands with stunning colours, contrasts and patterns. This makes my heart weep. Mining the tar sands … 112. Oil Sands Discovery and Early Use. The Syncrude oil sands plant is seen north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Alberta’s oil sands were formed millions of years ago, as tiny marine creatures died and drifted to the sea floor and were covered by layers of sediment that exerted enough pressure and temperatures to transform the organic matter into oil. Ninety percent of this water becomes so toxic that it must be stored in tailing ponds. Yet, last month the government of Alberta approved a tailings management plan for Suncor Energy Incorporated, the oldest mining company in the Canadian tar sands. Athabasca, Alberta, Canada before and after Oil Sands. Tar sands mining represents the most intensive and environmentally damaging method of oil extraction in Alberta, involving the drastic alteration of surface and subsurface materials.