Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/109821
Canada���s Alberta oil sands contain the thirdlargest crude-oil reserve in the world next to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, but managing this valuable resource requires responsible development. To support this, the ministry of Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) created an innovative Oil Sands Information Portal (OSIP) using Esri���s GIS technology. T he world uses approximately 88 million barrels of oil per day. As global dependence on this resource continues to increase, the oil-producing province of Alberta is expected to play a key role in meeting this demand for years to come. Located in western Canada, Alberta is abundant in oil and gas resources. There are significant oil sands deposits in three areas in the province: Peace River, Cold Lake and the Athabasca Region, which contains the largest oil sands deposit. Collectively, these areas span 140,200 square kilometers and contain more than 170 billion barrels of oil reserves, enough to meet Canada���s oil demand for the next 400 years. Half of all Canadian crude production is from Alberta���s oil sands, which produce about 1.6 million barrels of oil per day. Oil sands are a natural mixture of sand, water, clay and bitumen, but they aren���t immediately usable. Bitumen needs to be separated from the sand, then upgraded to synthetic crude oil and refined to be made into petroleum products such as fuel oil, gasoline, ethylene and propylene as well as consumer products including bubble gum, toothpaste and cosmetics. Although Alberta���s oil sands industry has become a major economic driver for the province, it���s also a source of controversy, as numerous stakeholders have ���OSIP is designed to meet the varied information requirements of different audiences, from those who need high-level information such as the public, media and investors to the very detailed, downloadable data required by researchers and consultants. F E B R U A R Y 2 O 1 3 / W W W . G E O P L A C E . C O M 23