Introduction
According to Alexander (2014), the oil sands of Alberta have around 1.7 to 2.7 trillion barrels of bitumen reserves. The recoverable oil resource in Canada is second only to that of the leading oil producer, Saudi Arabia. The vast oil reserves are capable of supplying Canada’s energy needs for over 500 years. Presently, nearly 40 percent of Canada’s oil production is generated from the oil sands (Alexander, 2014). They comprise mainly of bitumen mixed by sand and water. Alberta’s major oil sands are located in Cold Lake, Athabasca, and Peace River. Different deposits and areas have ...