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Canada´s Oil Sands Essay

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Introduction
The statement ‘Canada oil sands are much more of a blessing rather than a curse’ is not true because the disadvantages of oil sands outweigh the advantages. For this reason, this paper aims at indicating points against the statement. To understand the defects of oil sand exploration in Canada, one has to delve into the explanation of what oil sands are as well as how the entire process of mining and refining and thereafter, determine the disadvantages based on socioeconomic factors, environmental factors, as well as the infrastructure and energy required for its production.
Oil sands are unconventional petroleum deposits that consist of loose sand and partially consolidated sand stone that contains natural mixtures of …show more content…

Levi (2009) states that, the oil sand in Canada could adversely influence the growth of not only Canada but U.S.A as well. He states that since the oil sand deposits can be depleted any time, then this availability would greatly reduce the amount of oil in both Canada as well as the surrounding countries. He also states that the dependence of America on the stability on the Middle East for its oil supply could lead to economic crisis in case the reserves get depleted reducing the amount of revenue available for use in the countries. The oil sands production could also lead to the regulation of oil prices, as it is able to meet the demand of the oil levels required thus reducing or depletion of reserves could result in instability of prices.
The other adverse effect of the Canadian oil sands is that pipelines and massive processes of refining oil sands in Canada are a source of pollution that pose a great threat to air, water, and land as well as human health. Additionally, the use of its products like natural gas that is used to run medium-sized turbines that produce electricity releases greenhouse gases. These emissions are mostly produced when steam is injected to reduce the viscosity of the crude and during refining. These further increases to the global warming effect that is already out of hand and it also negates the gains made by society by exposing them to the adverse negative

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