Oil sands causing excessive levels of pollution

In 2009, a study done by researchers at the University of Alberta, Canada showed that Canadian oil sands increase the levels of air and water pollution in surrounding environment. The Canadian researchers were conducting experiments along the Athabasca River and its tributaries from Fort McMurray to Lake Athabasca and have concluded that the increased levels of air and water pollution in this area was a direct result of nearby oil sands (tar sands) operations.

According to a latest study that was recently published in the Geophysical Research Letters the scientists have concluded that the levels of oil sands pollution are comparable to those of a large power plant.

The Canadian scientists used satellites to measure nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide emitted from the oil sands. In an area 30 kilometers (19 miles) by 50 kilometers (31 miles) around the mines, they found elevated levels of these pollutants comparable to levels what satellites usually see over a large power plant.

Extracting oil from oil sands is bound to have negative environmental effects since this type of oil production requires the burning of fossil fuels. Not only this, extraction of oil from tar sands often uses more water and require larger amounts of energy compared to conventional oil extraction.

The exceeded levels of nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide can lead to acid rain formation so their levels should be monitored frequently in order to avoid a possible environmental disaster.

Oil sands are certainly in need of more independent studies because world's hunger for oil is constantly growing and with it there will be also more pressure on oil sands to generate more oil. This will no doubt have a negative impact on our environment.

Oil sands pollution in Canada - Facts

Canada's oil sands are considered by many environmentalists as one of the largest sources of industrialized greenhouse gas emissions, and thus a big contributor to ongoing global warming phenomenon.

Main concerns connected with with oil sands are land damage, such as negative impact on land's ability to support forestry and farming, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use.

Latest studies have also showed that beside being responsible for emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases oil sands are also a constant source of low-level pollution to the nearby area's land, air and water.

Oil sands in Canada are huge source of PAC (polycyclic aromatic compounds) pollution. One recent study has even showed that that snow was contaminated with PACs for almost 50 kilometers around the oil sands complex in Alberta, Canada.

Oil sands have negative effect on the land when the bitumen is initially mined and with large deposits of toxic chemicals, the water during the separation process and through the drainage of rivers; the air due to the release of carbon dioxide and other emissions, and there is also a deforestation issue.

The process of oil sands extraction is generally considered to be more environmentally damaging than conventional crude oil extraction, for example, emissions are estimated to be about 1.3-1.7 times that of conventional crude.