Unit E Lesson E7 Alberta's Fossil Fuels
Completion requirements
Lesson E7: Alberta's Fossil Fuels
Video Lesson
Fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal form deep underground, but they are not rocks or minerals. They are the remains of plants and animals that died millions of years ago. Although fossil fuels are not rocks or minerals, geologists have very
important roles in finding and extracting oil, natural gas, and coal. Why are geologists important in finding fossil fuels?
Lesson E7: Alberta's Fossil Fuels
Alberta's Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are found all over the world, but few places have the quantity or quality of fossil fuels that Alberta has. This part of Canada has a unique geological history. A huge slab of thick rock named the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin acts as a massive tub that holds the coal, oil, and natural gas we find here. This basin marks where shallow seas rich in plant and animal life once covered most of Alberta and a good part of Western Canada. The valuable fossil fuels buried within this basin have made Alberta an important location for geology, and the fossil fuel economy.
Fossil fuels are found all over the world, but few places have the quantity or quality of fossil fuels that Alberta has. This part of Canada has a unique geological history. A huge slab of thick rock named the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin acts as a massive tub that holds the coal, oil, and natural gas we find here. This basin marks where shallow seas rich in plant and animal life once covered most of Alberta and a good part of Western Canada. The valuable fossil fuels buried within this basin have made Alberta an important location for geology, and the fossil fuel economy.
Reading and Materials for This Lesson
Science in Action 7
Materials:
Science in Action 7
Reading: Pages 376, 384
Materials:
4 small plastic bags with locking top, 1 large plastic bag, 2 identical clear plastic cups, ½ cup of four types of cereals, 3 cups of chocolate cereal, ¾ cup of coffee grounds, measuring cup, mixing bowl, 1 plastic spoon, 1 metal or wooden spoon,
water
Figure E.2.7.1 – Alberta has vast deposits of oil, natural gas, and coal. All these materials are used to meet our energy needs and are found below Earth’s crust.
Figure E.2.7.2 – The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, outlined on this map, contains huge amounts of oil, natural gas, and coal buried deep below Earth’s surface.
Alberta's Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal are found underground, but they are not made of minerals as rocks are. Coal is the closest to a rock because it is solid and forms from layers of sediments from plants that grew on the land. In fact, many geologists consider coal to be a type of rock. However, fossil fuels are made of dead plants and animals called organic matter. The organic matter contains all the energy that we get when we burn fossil fuels. Remember that all life on Earth gets its energy from the Sun, either directly for plants or indirectly for animals. Because of this, we can think of fossil fuels as a long-term battery that has stored solar energy!
Fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal are found underground, but they are not made of minerals as rocks are. Coal is the closest to a rock because it is solid and forms from layers of sediments from plants that grew on the land. In fact, many geologists consider coal to be a type of rock. However, fossil fuels are made of dead plants and animals called organic matter. The organic matter contains all the energy that we get when we burn fossil fuels. Remember that all life on Earth gets its energy from the Sun, either directly for plants or indirectly for animals. Because of this, we can think of fossil fuels as a long-term battery that has stored solar energy!
Figure E.2.7.3 – The oil-sand mixture, called bitumen, is surface-mined, upgraded into a form that can be worked with, then refined into usable oil.
Figure E.2.7.4 – Chemicals used to remove the bitumen from the oil sands leave behind huge ponds of heavily polluted water.
Athabasca Oil Sands
The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB, see Figure E.1.7.2) covers a large part of western Canada, including almost all of Alberta. Other provinces and territories have fossil fuel deposits, but Alberta’s portion of the WCSB has most of the oil, natural gas, and coal deposits. Alberta has almost all the bitumen found in the WCSB. In the world, Alberta’s oil reserves are estimated to be second only to Saudi Arabia’s and could last for 150 years at the rate they are being refined currently.
Oil sands are a thick mixture of bitumen, oil, sand, and other impurities. Bitumen is a thick fossil fuel that is sometimes used for paving roads. Much of the bitumen being refined in Alberta is from oil sands mined from the surface. This means that large trenches are dug into the surface until the thick layers of oil sands are exposed. These are dug up and transported to the upgraders and refineries where the thick bitumen is separated from the sand and impurities and is turned into usable oil and fossil fuel products. Digging these deep trenches disturbs Earth’s surface, so attempts are made to reclaim the land. The area is mapped, the topsoil (known as overburden) is removed, and then mining begins. After the mining is complete, the topsoil is returned carefully to reconstruct the land. Waterways are re-opened, and plants are allowed to grow. Reclaimed land is never the same as the original land, but reclamation gives ecosystems a chance to start again in the same location.
Where the bitumen cannot be digged from Earth, steam is injected into the oil sands through channels drilled vertically and horizontally similar to oil wells. The heat turns the oil into a liquid, and it seeps deeper below the sand where it can be collected in pipes. This is the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) system.
The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB, see Figure E.1.7.2) covers a large part of western Canada, including almost all of Alberta. Other provinces and territories have fossil fuel deposits, but Alberta’s portion of the WCSB has most of the oil, natural gas, and coal deposits. Alberta has almost all the bitumen found in the WCSB. In the world, Alberta’s oil reserves are estimated to be second only to Saudi Arabia’s and could last for 150 years at the rate they are being refined currently.
Oil sands are a thick mixture of bitumen, oil, sand, and other impurities. Bitumen is a thick fossil fuel that is sometimes used for paving roads. Much of the bitumen being refined in Alberta is from oil sands mined from the surface. This means that large trenches are dug into the surface until the thick layers of oil sands are exposed. These are dug up and transported to the upgraders and refineries where the thick bitumen is separated from the sand and impurities and is turned into usable oil and fossil fuel products. Digging these deep trenches disturbs Earth’s surface, so attempts are made to reclaim the land. The area is mapped, the topsoil (known as overburden) is removed, and then mining begins. After the mining is complete, the topsoil is returned carefully to reconstruct the land. Waterways are re-opened, and plants are allowed to grow. Reclaimed land is never the same as the original land, but reclamation gives ecosystems a chance to start again in the same location.
Where the bitumen cannot be digged from Earth, steam is injected into the oil sands through channels drilled vertically and horizontally similar to oil wells. The heat turns the oil into a liquid, and it seeps deeper below the sand where it can be collected in pipes. This is the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) system.
Figure E.2.7.5 – Fort McMurray is in the Athabasca oil sands area, one of three major locations of bitumen in Alberta.
The bitumen must be transported by truck from the mine site to the upgraders and refineries. Much fuel and energy are used to transport the bitumen and refined oil. Many harmful pollutants are released into the air and into shallow ponds in the area,
and oil spills are always a risk whenever the product is moved.
Obtaining bitumen and converting it to usable products takes much time, money, and energy. Natural gas, another fossil fuel, is used to provide the energy for mining and refining the bitumen. Using natural gas to retrieve the oil from bitumen increases
the energy demands of the process by 5 times.. Other energy sources, including nuclear power, have been discussed as alternatives to natural gas. Newer methods, such as the SAGD system, attempt to retrieve difficult bitumen deposits as well as improve
the efficiency of getting at these deposits.
The time-lapse movie shown in Figure E.2.7.6 shows how much the oil sands around Fort McMurray developed from 1984 through to 2011.
Many concerns are expressed by First Nations groups in the Fort McMurray area. Although the development of the oil sands provides many jobs, it has a large impact on the environment. The health of the First Nations peoples is a concern, as is the general health of the environment.
The time-lapse movie shown in Figure E.2.7.6 shows how much the oil sands around Fort McMurray developed from 1984 through to 2011.
Many concerns are expressed by First Nations groups in the Fort McMurray area. Although the development of the oil sands provides many jobs, it has a large impact on the environment. The health of the First Nations peoples is a concern, as is the general health of the environment.
Figure E.2.7.6 – Fort McMurray oil sands development from 1984 through to 2011
Figure E.2.7.7 – Bitumen and natural gas (pictured here) are the biggest parts of Alberta's economy.
Figure E.2.7.8 – Trucks, trains, boats, and pipelines are used to get fossil fuels to where they are needed.
Other Fossil Fuels
Alberta has most of Canada’s reserves for bitumen, oil, natural gas, and coal. All four sources of energy are important parts of our economy. Overall, Canada is fifth in the world for fossil fuel production, and estimates are that Canada has about 15% of all of the world’s underground fossil fuel reserves. Annual production includes 3.5 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas, 1 billion barrels of oil, and 35 million tonnes of coal. Coal is the most common fossil fuel on Earth, and it is the most common fuel for generating electricity. The majority of the oil reserves are found in the oil sands of Northern Alberta. Most of the easy-to-obtain natural gas is gone, but newer methods such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) have been developed as well as techniques such as horizontal drilling.
Oil and gas technologies in Alberta are worth close to $30 billion dollars annually. Oil and gas companies directly employ about 100 000 Albertans, and many thousands of other jobs are indirectly related to these industries. Very likely, fossil fuels will continue to be important parts of Alberta’s economy for many generations to come.
Alberta has most of Canada’s reserves for bitumen, oil, natural gas, and coal. All four sources of energy are important parts of our economy. Overall, Canada is fifth in the world for fossil fuel production, and estimates are that Canada has about 15% of all of the world’s underground fossil fuel reserves. Annual production includes 3.5 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas, 1 billion barrels of oil, and 35 million tonnes of coal. Coal is the most common fossil fuel on Earth, and it is the most common fuel for generating electricity. The majority of the oil reserves are found in the oil sands of Northern Alberta. Most of the easy-to-obtain natural gas is gone, but newer methods such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) have been developed as well as techniques such as horizontal drilling.
Oil and gas technologies in Alberta are worth close to $30 billion dollars annually. Oil and gas companies directly employ about 100 000 Albertans, and many thousands of other jobs are indirectly related to these industries. Very likely, fossil fuels will continue to be important parts of Alberta’s economy for many generations to come.
Figure E.2.7.9 – Many types of natural gas are found within Earth’s crust.
Figure E.2.7.10 – Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a controversial method of injecting pressurized liquids into rock layers such as shale to force out oil and gas for collection.
Figure E.2.7.11 – in Alberta usually are open pit mines. As in mining for bitumen, large pits are dug in strips. Here, coal is dug up and hauled to a processing plant nearby.
Oil and gas often are found trapped below a layer of rock such as shale. Oil and gas are lighter than water,and they rise anywhere the crust is wet. They cannot soak through shale, however, so they gather whenever they hit this kind of rock. If the ground
has folded or faulted to form a trap that looks like a giant chamber, huge volumes of oil and gas might have accumulated there.
Watch More
Watch this video to learn about the formation of fossil fuels and how they gather in an underground trap.
Try It!
The Formation of Fossil Fuels
This experiment explores the formation of the fossil fuel coal. Note that the video mentions a student journal. You will not use a journal, but you will answer questions at the end of this activity instead.
Materials:
Materials:
- 4 small plastic bags with locking top
- 1 large plastic bag
- 2 identical clear plastic cups
- ½ cup of four types of cereals (Each kind should look different from the others.)
- 3 cups of chocolate cereal
- Âľ cup of coffee grounds
- measuring cup
- mixing bowl
- 1 plastic spoon, 1 metal or wooden spoon
- water
Instructions:
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To make the coal mixture, mix together 3 cups chocolate cereal, ¾ cup coffee grounds, and ¾ cup water. Stir gently to mix. Place ½ cup of this mixture in a plastic bag labelled “Coal”.
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To make the sand mixture, add ½ cup cereal #1 to a small plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Place the sealed bag inside the larger plastic bag to prevent messiness. Crush the cereal in the bag. Remove the small bag and label it “Sandstone”.
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To make the shale mixture, add ½ cup cereal #2 to a small plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Place the sealed bag inside the larger plastic bag to prevent messiness. Crush the cereal in the bag. Remove the small bag and label it “Shale”.
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To make the sandstone mixture, add ½ cup cereal #3 to a small plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Place the sealed bag inside the larger plastic bag to prevent messiness. Crush the cereal in the bag. Remove the small bag and label it “Sand”.
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Pour ½ cup of the coal mixture into the bottom of one of the plastic cups. Pour the sandstone mixture on top of the coal. Pour the shale mixture on top of the sandstone. Then, pour the sand layer on top of the shale layer. Draw a picture of the layers
in the cup, and label each layer.
- To form your fossil fuel, use the second plastic cup to press down firmly on the layers inside the first plastic cup. Watch what happens to the coal layer as you press down. Sketch the layers after you have finished pressing, and label each layer.
Questions:
Think about the following questions very carefully. Then, type or write your answers. After you have your answers, click the questions for feedback.
Think about the following questions very carefully. Then, type or write your answers. After you have your answers, click the questions for feedback.
The cereal and coffee ingredients probably represent the remains of plants and animals. Water is the environment in which they are buried.
The layers above the coal are important because the decaying organic matter must be trapped in place to become fossil fuels.
Pressing down helps the fossils fuels to form. In nature, the weight of all the layers above the organic matter squish the coal layer.
In nature, usually bedrock or some layer does not let the fossil fuel soak away.
The folds and faults in the layers above the fossil fuels can produce pockets where oil and gas are found above the coal and oil sands.
Figure E.2.7.12 – In the early 1900s, oil sands were visible along the eroded banks of the Athabasca River.
Figure E.2.7.13 – Thumper trucks use hydraulic pistons to produce seismic waves.
Finding Fossil Fuels and Other Valuable Rocks and Minerals
Finding fossil fuels is usually it is difficult. In rare cases, the oil, natural gas, or coal is visible at ground level. Digging and recovery of the fossil fuel can begin immediately. In most cases, however, complicated technology must be used. Geologists trained in the search for fossil fuels are called geophysicists.
Geophysicists begin by using satellite and aerial images to examine Earth’s surface for clues. After many years of study, these scientists now realize that certain land features reveal clues about the secrets that lie beneath the surface.
After a general area of interest has been identified, several other techniques are used to map the underground structure of Earth. One method is seismic surveying. Geophysicists use seismic waves to map the crust below. They also find fossil fuels deposits with sensitive equipment that measures slight changes in Earth’s gravity or magnetic field.
Usually, the final step used to confirm the fossil fuel find is to drill a test well. The test well brings a core or mud sample to the surface where geologists can test the contents for the presence of fossil fuels.
Finding fossil fuels is usually it is difficult. In rare cases, the oil, natural gas, or coal is visible at ground level. Digging and recovery of the fossil fuel can begin immediately. In most cases, however, complicated technology must be used. Geologists trained in the search for fossil fuels are called geophysicists.
Geophysicists begin by using satellite and aerial images to examine Earth’s surface for clues. After many years of study, these scientists now realize that certain land features reveal clues about the secrets that lie beneath the surface.
After a general area of interest has been identified, several other techniques are used to map the underground structure of Earth. One method is seismic surveying. Geophysicists use seismic waves to map the crust below. They also find fossil fuels deposits with sensitive equipment that measures slight changes in Earth’s gravity or magnetic field.
Usually, the final step used to confirm the fossil fuel find is to drill a test well. The test well brings a core or mud sample to the surface where geologists can test the contents for the presence of fossil fuels.
Figure E.2.7.14 – A test well.
Figure E.2.7.15 – Satellite images of the expanding oil sands development near Fort McMurray.
Figure E.2.7.16 – Oil spills can have a major impact on ecosystems.
Fossil Fuels and the Environment
Fossil fuels are a major source of energy for the world. As the main ingredient in plastics, they are used in the manufacture of an incredible number of products that we use every day. Fossil fuels are used for plant fertilizer and medicine. Fossil fuels
are very important economically. The world as we know it is largely the result of fossil fuels!
Mining and drilling below Earth’s crust disturbs and damages local ecosystems. The next step is to transport the fossil fuels, and this also affects the environment. The vehicles used to move the fossil fuels produce pollution, and the risk of accidents and spills is very real.
In addition, the burning of fossil fuels releases pollution and greenhouse gases. The pollution clogs the air with dirty particles, and the carbon dioxide adds to the problem of climate change. Waste products from oil sands and hydraulic fracturing can affect the environment and the health of people living nearby.
Mining and drilling below Earth’s crust disturbs and damages local ecosystems. The next step is to transport the fossil fuels, and this also affects the environment. The vehicles used to move the fossil fuels produce pollution, and the risk of accidents and spills is very real.
In addition, the burning of fossil fuels releases pollution and greenhouse gases. The pollution clogs the air with dirty particles, and the carbon dioxide adds to the problem of climate change. Waste products from oil sands and hydraulic fracturing can affect the environment and the health of people living nearby.
Figure E.2.7.17 – Did you know that fossil fuels are the main ingredient in plastics?
Watch More
Watch this Bill Nye video to hear about fossil fuels and possible renewable energy sources.
Make sure you have understood everything in this lesson. Use the Self-Check below, and the Self-Check & Lesson Review Tips to
guide your learning.
Unit E Lesson 7 Self-Check
Instructions
Complete the following 6 steps.
Don't skip steps – if you do them in order, you will confirm your
understanding of this lesson and create a study bank for the future.
- DOWNLOAD the self-check quiz by clicking here.
- ANSWER all the questions on the downloaded quiz in the spaces provided. Think carefully before typing your answers. Review this lesson if you need to. Save your quiz when you are done.
- COMPARE your answers with the suggested "Self-Check Quiz Answers" below. WAIT! You didn't skip step 2, did you? It's very important to carefully write out your own answers before checking the suggested answers.
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REVISE your quiz answers if you need to. If you answered all the questions correctly, you can skip this step. Revise means to change, fix, and add extra notes if you need to. This quiz is NOT FOR MARKS, so it is perfectly OK to correct
any mistakes you made. This will make your self-check quiz an excellent study tool you can use later.
- SAVE your quiz to a folder on your computer, or to your Private Files. That way you will know where it is for later studying.
- CHECK with your teacher if you need to. If after completing all these steps you are still not sure about the questions or your answers, you should ask for more feedback from your teacher. To do this, post in the Course Questions Forum, or send your teacher an email. In either case, attach your completed quiz and ask; "Can you look at this quiz and give me some feedback please?" They will be happy to help you!
Self-Check Time!
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Self-Check Quiz Answers
Click each of the suggested answers below, and carefully compare your answers to the suggested answers.
If you have not done the quiz yet – STOP – and go back to step 1 above. Do not look at the answers without first trying the questions.
Rocks, minerals, and fossil fuels are found in Earth’s crust. They are buried deeply and often appear in layers. Rocks are made of minerals and other materials. Minerals are inorganic substances. Fossil fuels are organic substances that contain energy.
The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) is a huge tub-shaped depression in western Canada. It extends from the Rocky Mountains east as far as Manitoba. It is located under almost all of Alberta. This basin was once the bottom of a warm sea, and for millions of years, plant and animal materials fell to the bottom of this sea. After more millions of years of being buried, fossil fuels formed in this basin from the decayed organic material.
Bitumen is removed from oil sands by using steam and hot water (such as in SAGD) and chemicals (such as those found in tailing ponds).
Four types of fossil fuels found in Alberta are oil, natural gas, bitumen, and coal. Alberta has more than twice as much energy in its coal than in all the other fossil fuels combined.
Several answers are possible:
- Challenge: Digging up the land disturbs ecosystems. Solution: Minimize disturbing natural land; reclaim what we disturb.
- Challenge: Pollution is given off when fossil fuels are extracted, refined, and transported. Solution: Find alternative energy sources for obtaining fossil fuels and decrease dependence on them.
- Challenge: Pollution is given off when fossil fuels are used. Solution: Decrease dependence on fossil fuels by developing alternative, renewable energy resources.
- Challenge: Fossil fuels are becoming more difficult and expensive to obtain. Solution: Decrease dependence on fossil fuels by developing alternative, renewable energy resources.