Alberta – More than just crude oil and natural gas
Alberta is first in Canada in:
- conventional crude oil reserves and production
- oil sands reserves and production
- coal reserves and production
- coalbed methane reserves and production
- conventional thermal electricity generation
- natural gas reserves and production
17. 2.4 million barrels per day
Tour stop: Leduc
Alberta leads the country in conventional crude oil production with almost 500,000 barrels per day, or 37.1 per cent of Canada’s total conventional crude oil production. Alberta’s conventional crude oil reserves total 1.47 billion barrels. That’s 30.2 per cent of Canada’s total conventional reserves. Add to that natural gas liquids and pentanes plus, and Alberta has 2.4 billion barrels of conventional liquids reserves.
Although conventional crude oil had been discovered previously in southwestern Ontario; near Turner Valley, Alberta; and in Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, until the Leduc discovery in 1947, Canada had been an importer of oil. Leduc proved there were significant oil reserves to be found and the consequent increase in exploration activity resulted in a series of major oil discoveries all of which led to Canada’s petroleum self-sufficiency.
Whew, back on the ground. The lovely, lovely ground. After Norm got his bearings in Edmonton and grabbed a new car (it’s easy enough when you’re fictional) he drove a few kilometres south to Devon, site of Imperial Leduc #1.
18. 176.4 billion barrels of reserves
Tour Stop: Fort McMurray
Although the resource had been known, and used, prior to the arrival of Europeans in North America, it wasn’t until the latter part of the 20th century that oil sands production became economically viable. Alberta’s oil sands comprise 171.4 billion barrels of recoverable reserves, and production for 2008 averaged more than 1.3 million barrels per day. About 20 per cent of the oil sands are recovered by mining and the remaining 80 per cent by in-situ (underground) means.
Because of Alberta’s oil sands reserves, Canada’s total crude oil reserves stand at 176.4 billion barrels, second only to Saudi Arabia.
Following his visit to the conventional, Norm decided to visit the unconventional and drove the 435 kilometres to Fort McMurray. Yes Norm, they’d probably notice if someone drove off in one of their Caterpillar 797s. Besides, I don’t think it’ll fit on the highway.
19. 32.5 million tonnes
Tour Stop: Wabamun
Coal production in Alberta totalled 32.5 million tonnes in 2008. The Energy Resources Conservation Board estimates that as at December 31, 2008 established coal reserves in Alberta under active development amounted to 1.1 billion tonnes. Total coal reserves in the province could amount to more than 30 billion tonnes.
Alberta's coal resources contain more than twice the energy of all the province's other non-renewable energy resources, including conventional oil and pentanes, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and bitumen and synthetic crude. Of the 32.5 million tonnes mined in 2008, 25.7 tonnes were sub-bituminous coal dedicated to generating electricity for the Alberta grid. In fact coal-fired thermal electricity accounts for about 47 per cent of Alberta’s installed capacity.
Back to Edmonton and west to Wabamun, home to one of Alberta’s major coal fields and a (soon-to-be deactivated) coal-based power plant. Coal represented 5.6 per cent of Alberta’s energy production in 2007. Ah, Lake Wabamun. Scenic, eh Norm?
20. 999 billion cubic feet
Tour Stop: Wabamun
At year-end 2008, the Energy Resources Conservation Board estimated that Alberta had 999 billion cubic feet of remaining established reserves of coalbed methane. Production of coalbed methane for 2008 averaged 598 million cubic feet per day.
Coalbed methane provides a clean source of natural gas to fill the gap between dwindling conventional production and rising demand. Gas-fired thermal electricity accounts for about 40 per cent of Alberta’s installed capacity.
You can’t hold it against a guy for making two stops in one, Norm’s just smart that way. Besides, finding two uses for a single place is what coalbed methane’s all about; finding natural gas trapped in existing coal beds. And you know what that means: Plenty of time to stop in to the West Edmonton Mall on the way back and stay in a theme room. Luau or Roman, Norm?
21. 60.3 terawatts of electricity
Tour Stop: Red Deer
Alberta generated 60.3 terawatts of electricity in 2008, 79.8 per cent of which was conventional thermal electricity fuelled by coal and natural gas.
Alberta generates the most conventional thermal electricity of any province, about 42 per cent of all the conventional thermal electricity in Canada. All this thermal electricity is necessary because Alberta only generated 2.3 terawatt-hours of electricity from hydropower, about 3.8 per cent of the province’s total electricity demand.
Following those power lines all the way from Lake Wabamun to Red Deer, Norm takes a breather at “Gasoline Alley.” Considering that petroleum products make up about 32 per cent of energy demand in Alberta, he’s fitting in nicely. Fill ‘er up, Norm! There’s a ways to go yet.
22. 14.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas
Tour Stop: Medicine Hat
Alberta has 39.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, which is about 30 per cent of Canada’s total reserves. Alberta produces 14.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, which is 72.8 per cent of Canada’s total natural gas production.
Natural gas is important to Canadians because it’s used to heat 48 per cent of our homes and is the main energy source for 51% of Canada’s manufacturing sector and 39% of its commercial sector. (Source: Canadian Gas Association)
On his last stop before the Saskatchewan border, Norm stops to take a stroll through Medicine Hat’s downtown, which is lined with natural gas-lit lamps. Natural gas is so important to the city, which owns its own natural gas utility, that Rudyard Kipling once said it had “all Hell for a basement.” Toasty, eh Norm?