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For the past decades, Canada has been very modest when put beside its huge neighbor, the United States of America. However, recently, the country has every right to be proud – it has discovered a huge oil sands reserve. This oil sands deposit in Alberta has been the source of talks for decades. After long years of speculation that it will never be extracted, it has finally been produced and is earning billions. The oil of Alberta is bound up in sand which is black and bituminous. This sand is close to the surface and is very obvious; however, it has to be steamed in order for the release of the oil.
The Possible Gain of Alberta Oil Sands
It has been thought that the extraction of oil in the reserve of Alberta is a rather expensive process. But when the value of oil in the world market has gone up to $60, the oil sands have been considered as worth the extraction. According to a current recalculation, it has been discovered that the oil buried beneath the ground within the province amounts to trillions of barrels. Currently, there has been recognition of 175 billion barrels of oil in the reserves of Alberta. Because of the potential worth of the oil, several big corporations are investing their money into these reserves.
Oil Versus Wildlife
The deposits of oil in the province are assured to last for several decades, or better yet, centuries. The reserve is making the province and its residents wealthy. It has settled its debts and has provided its taxpayers with a rebate check for Canadian $400. This rebate check is taken from the extra budget that the province has earned. The oil reserve that is making Alberta rich is located underneath a wide stretch of peat and bog. This is the wilderness where several wildlife exist. This is the home of animals like bears, caribous, buffaloes and moose. The oil corporations have sworn to regenerate the land to its original state, planting again trees. But some residents and environmentalists do not think that the natural beauty of wilderness can be created again. The jury assigned to this issue is still working on the matter.
The Early Method of Oil Processing
The communities in Alberta have been existing within the province for centuries and have known the use of the oil sands. Its early inhabitants have been the Cree Indians. According to the history of the oil sands in the province, an American trader named Peter Pond visited the early community three centuries ago; he took a seat on the banks of the river. He watched the Indians getting the bituminous sands and heating them in pots of boiling water. They would peel off the pitch and use the oil that has been released to protect their canoes from the waters. Until the recent times, the local residents of the province are still using the same method of extraction. And they are still using it for their transportation.
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