Turning tar sands in to oil

How much the Alberta oil sands, as Canadians call their tar sands, can help in this transition is debatable, as industry estimates of economically recoverable oil reserves in Canada vary enormously.

Oil & Gas Journal estimates close to 180 billion barrels, second only to Saudi Arabia’s approximately 260 billion, while BP Statistical Review of World Energy puts the figure at about 17 billion barrels, based on oil sands under active development. And the Canadian oil sands don’t even turn up on the International Energy Agency’s industry lists of the 10 countries with the largest proven oil reserves.

Even the higher industry estimate is only about a six-year world supply, as the planet now consumes close to 30 billion barrels of oil a year.

Cleveland Plain Dealer