How much do oil sands workers make?

How much do oil sands workers make?

Oil Field Workers Salary in Alberta

Annual Salary Weekly Pay
Top Earners $91,000 $1,750
75th Percentile $72,500 $1,394
Average $47,156 $906
25th Percentile $26,000 $500

Why the oil sands are bad?

Tar sands oil — even the name sounds bad. And it is bad. In fact, oil from tar sands is one of the most destructive, carbon-intensive and toxic fuels on the planet. Producing it releases three times as much greenhouse gas pollution as conventional crude oil does.

Are the oil sands really that bad?

While it produces conventional oil, most comes from the Alberta oil sands, the world’s third largest proven oil reserve at 170 billion barrels. The oil sands give Alberta the third largest reserves in the world, but extracting the oil is energy-intensive and destructive to the landscape.

How does oil sands extraction work?

Steam is injected into the oil sands deposit, reducing the viscosity of the bitumen. A mixture of mostly bitumen and water is pumped to the surface, where the water is recovered and recycled. The deposit is mined and trucked to a main processing plant. Hot water is added to the oil sands, producing a pumpable slurry.

How much do oil rig workers make in Canada?

The average oil field salary in Canada is $42,900 per year or $22 per hour. Entry level positions start at $40,950 per year while most experienced workers make up to $60,255 per year. $42,900 a year is how much an hour?

Why is shale oil bad?

Surface mining of oil shale deposits causes the usual environmental impacts of open-pit mining. In addition, the combustion and thermal processing generate waste material, which must be disposed of, and harmful atmospheric emissions, including carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas.

What are the cons of oil sands?

Cons

  • Enormous GHG emissions.
  • Relatively low net energy return compared to other sources.
  • Large amounts of water required: roughly 3:1.
  • Water pollution.
  • Destructive to major boreal forest.
  • Widespread habitat destruction, both on land and water.
  • Requires expensive and risky pipelines.

How dirty are oil sands?

Tar sands extraction emits up to three times more global warming pollution than does producing the same quantity of conventional crude. It also depletes and pollutes freshwater resources and creates giant ponds of toxic waste. Refining the sticky black substance produces piles of petroleum coke, a hazardous by-product.

What are the disadvantages of using tar sands?

What are the disadvantages of oil shale?

Another environmental disadvantage to extracting shale oil is the enormous amounts of freshwater required. Water is necessary for drilling, mining, refining, and generating power. Some experts estimate that three litres (. 8 gallon) of water are required to produce just one litre (.

Is shale oil better than crude oil?

Shale oil is a substitute for conventional crude oil; however, extracting shale oil is more costly than the production of conventional crude oil both financially and in terms of its environmental impact. Deposits of oil shale occur around the world, including major deposits in the United States.

What are the disadvantages of tar sands?

The Cons of Tar Sands

  • Clear-cutting is often required to access deposits.
  • Extracting bitumen from tar sands is carbon-intensive.
  • Dependence on tar sands may just prolong the inevitable.
  • The waste products from tar sands are highly toxic.
  • Leaks from tar sands operations could harm people and animals in the region.

What are the good things about oil sands?

Very large supply. Second largest oil field in the world.

  • Economically recoverable at today’s oil prices.
  • Will help keep oil prices relatively low.
  • Enormous growth potential.
  • Big economic driver in Alberta.
  • Stable source country (a rarity for oil)
  • GHG emissions could potentially be minimized through CCS.