To use the oil, the sand must be separated from the oil and water
In Alberta, north of Edmonton
Fort McMurray is only city in the oil sands
Physical characteristics of the area ( during the Cretaceous period, Alberta was covered by shallow sea waters. Materials like algae and plankton collected on the sea floor. Over millions of years, sedimentary layers formed as more and more material settled on top. These layers were buried deeper under the Earth’s surface. The pressure and heat caused organic materials to eventually turn into hydrocarbons like bitumen.)
Boreal Forest
Water flows north
Lake Athabasca is DOWNSTREAM from Fort McMurray
Tar sands impact much larger region
Wood Buffalo National Park is located downstream from the oil sands
The one positive part is the economic contribution. The oil sands industry makes a huge amount of revenue, which is nearly 60 billion dollars
The negative part is the impact on the environment. The extraction and processing causes habitat destruction, water and air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, which adds to climate change
The resource development impacts Indigenous communities, leading to problems about land rights, cultural heritage, and health impacts.