Oil sands, also known as tar sands, are a type of unconventional oil deposit that are found in large quantities in several countries around the world, including Canada, Venezuela, and Russia. Extracting oil from oil sands is a complex process that requires a combination of mining and processing techniques. Here is an overview of how oil sands are extracted:
1. Mining: In most cases, oil sands are mined using large trucks and shovels. The top layer of soil, or overburden, is removed to expose the oil sands deposit below. The oil sands are then scooped up and transported to a processing plant.
2. Extraction: Once the oil sands have been mined, they are transported to a processing plant where the bitumen, which is the thick, heavy oil found in the sands, is separated from the sand and clay using hot water or steam. This process is known as extraction.
3. Upgrading: The extracted bitumen is typically too thick and heavy to be used as is, so it must be upgraded to a lighter form of crude oil. This is done through a process called hydroprocessing, which involves adding hydrogen and removing impurities from the bitumen.
4. Transport: Once the bitumen has been extracted and upgraded, it can be transported to refineries by pipeline, rail, or tanker truck.
While the process of extracting oil from oil sands can be technically challenging and expensive, it has become an important source of oil for many countries around the world. However, there are also concerns about the environmental impact of oil sands extraction, particularly due to the large amount of water and energy required to produce a barrel of oil from oil sands. As such, efforts to develop more sustainable and efficient methods of extracting oil from oil sands are ongoing.