Tar Sands (Oil Sands)

Tar sands, also known as oil sands, are naturally occurring mixtures of clay, sand, water, and a heavy type of crude oil called bitumen. Extracting oil from these sands is more complex and costly than conventional drilling because the bitumen is thick and sticky. To access the oil, the sands are mined or heated in place to separate the bitumen, which is then upgraded into usable synthetic crude. This process consumes significant energy and can impact the environment through habitat disruption, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions. Oil sands are primarily found in regions like Canada’s Alberta and parts of Venezuela.