April 05, 2006
by Jonathan Haeber
Local Education Columnist
In the past, we've extracted oil through gigantic underground wells. But with oil reserves drying up, and political instability in Iraq and Venezuela, we've found our salvation in Canada.
It is estimated that one-fifth of known oil reserves are located in Canada. That's a huge market, and it's trumped only by the largest reserve in the world, Saudi Arabia. Almost 20 percent of U.S. oil already comes from Canada, and it is the second largest exporter of oil to the U.S.
Vast Reserves, Tough to Extract
The problem with Canadian oil reserves is the cost and difficulty of its extraction. Canadian oil is located in tar sands (also called "oil sands"), which require a whole new method of extraction and many new technologies. However, there's a huge future market in tar sands, because they represent more than two-thirds of known oil reserves.
About 80% of current tar sand reserves are far below the surface of the earth and would require different methods to extract them. Bright engineers and scientists will eventually find a way to utilize the this 80% of subterranean sand oil resevres.
One new method involves injecting massive amounts of steam underground, thereby liberating the oil from the earth into underground cavities. After the steam liberates the oil, it will be pumped out, just like traditional oil is pumped.
Study Oil and Gas Administration in Calgary
The world will increasingly depend on Canadian oil, so it's no surprise that oil and gas administration jobs may become available in the future. The industry will demand bright young thinkers who can tackle working with this newest resource.
If you're interested in a career in oil and gas administration, then consider getting your start at a vocational school in Calgary offering oil and gas college degrees or certificates.
Sources
About the Author
Jonathan Haeber is no secret agent man, but writes about merchandise as a full-time copywriter for Discovery Channel Stores. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley with degrees in English and Geography.
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