July 9, 2024
Oil is extracted from oil sands using 2 different methods:
- Mining – surface mining is used when deposits are near the earths surface.
- In situ is used to access deeper deposits where wells are drilled and steam is injected to make the bitumen fluid enough to pump to the surface. There are 2 types of in situ: Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) and Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS).
Mining accounts for about 40% of total oil sands production ranging from almost 900 MBbl/d in 2016 to over 1300 MBbl/d in 2022
In situ represents about 60% of total oil sands production.
Mining and in situ production have can fluctuate due to prevailing market conditions, available transportation capacity to market and prices. There is a noticeable drop in 2020 due to the impact of the Covid pandemic.
Source: Alberta Oil Sands Royalty Data, 2022