The substance is technically bitumen, a highly viscous form of petroleum, which is mined from vast deposits found primarily in Canada, Venezuela, and the Orinoco Belt. The heavy crude mixture known as tar and oil sands represents a significant component of the world’s remaining petroleum reserves.
Processing Raw Bitumen: From Extraction to Pipeline Transport
The bitumen acts as a natural cement, holding the sand and minerals together in a dense matrix. The term "tar" is a misnomer that harks back to the historical byproducts of coal processing, whereas the modern resource is a complex hydrocarbon mixture that requires sophisticated refining to become usable fuel.
For deeper resources, in-situ techniques are used, which involve injecting steam underground to heat the bitumen and allow it to flow to the surface without disturbing the land above. It must first undergo an upgrading process to remove impurities like sand, water, and heavy metals.
Processing Raw Bitumen for Safe and Efficient Pipeline Transport
For shallow deposits, open-pit mining is employed, where massive shovels remove tons of ore to be processed in a plant. The Extraction Process There are two primary methods for bringing tar and oil sands to the surface, depending on the depth of the deposit.
More About Tar and oil sands
Looking at Tar and oil sands from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on Tar and oil sands can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
