Cold Lake oil sands | |
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![]() The Cold Lake oil sands deposit is one of the largest petroleum deposits in Alberta, located south of the Athabasca oil sands and directly east of the provincial capital, Edmonton. | |
Country | Canada |
Region | Alberta and Saskatchewan |
Offshore/onshore | Onshore, unconventional |
The Cold Lake oil sands are a large deposit of oil sands located near Cold Lake, Alberta.[1][2][3][4][5] Cold Lake is east of Alberta's capital, Edmonton, near Alberta's border with Saskatchewan, and a small portion of the Cold Lake field lies in Saskatchewan.
In 1980, a plant in Cold Lake was one of just two oil sands plants under construction in Alberta.[4]Although not developed as quickly and extensively as originally envisioned, an Imperial Oil plant in Cold Lake became the largest in situ oil sands project constructed in Alberta during the 1980s. By 1991, its daily oil production was 90,000 barrels.[6]
Some of the oil sands in the Cold Lake deposit have a low enough density that they can be extracted through drilling, as opposed to mining.[7]
In 2008, oil sands production represented approximately half of Canada's total crude oil production. The Athabasca oil sands deposit in northern Alberta is one of largest oil sands deposits in the world. There are also sizable oil sands deposits on Melville Island in the Canadian Arctic, and two smaller deposits in northern Alberta near Cold Lake and Peace River.
Great as is the Athabasca spread, where real scientific exploration began just 60 years ago, it's not the full story. Alberta hold three other oil sands deposits – Wabasca just southwest of Athabasca, Cold Lake to the south, Peace River to the west.
Stringham said total investment in the oil sands – which include the Athabasca River, Cold Lake and Peace River regions around Fort McMurray, 210 miles northeast of Edmonton – was $11.3 billion from 1996-2001, with another $4.6 billion on new projects under construction and at least $16.6 billion more in potential projects through 2010.
Ottawa would inflict serious economic losses on all Canada if it cancels development of Alberta's two oil sands plants, Alberta Energy Minister Merv Leitch said yesterday. Leitch said the Alsands and Cold Lake plants could be developed for export production if the oil is not needed for eastern Canadian use.
After 5 or 6 days the well was checked again, only to discover approximately 250 meters (820 feet) head of oil was present in the well bore - evidence that Oil Sands had been encountered, and that it was Flowing Oil Sands. In accordance with Alberta Energy's designation, the project is categorized Oil Sands; located in the southern part of the Cold Lake Oil Sands district.