WHAT ABOUT ATHABASCA?Your initial reaction to such a question will, no doubt, be what mine was -”What is Athabasca?”
If you happen to be a Canadian, you known the word to be that of a large area of Canada mainly located in Alberta and, to a smaller degree, in and under the province of Saskatchewan. It is, mainly, in the upper north-eastern corner of Alberta and it contains one third of the Earth's entire supply of oil deposits.
Your next logical question might be: if that is true, how come we don't
hear about the Athabasca area rather than Alaska's North Slopes again-and- again? We hear about the fact that Venezuela has “one third”of all the liquid gold and Saudi-Arabia has the other other
The problem with Canadian oil is sand. Most people will agree with you of observe that Saudi Arabia seems to have sufficient amounts of sand as well. You will also find that the celebrated Orinoco oil deposits on the northern slopes of the South American continent are located in sand pits. Accord to figures set forth by the Albert Energy and Utilities Board, the that the Athabasca sands area hold the largest deposit of oil in the world, with estimates in of about 1.6 trillion barrels of oil.
Why is we never hear of this fabulous supply? Why are we dependent on oil supplies from the Far East and subject to their price-fixing policies? Other questions come to mind by the score and it would seem it is time for someone to get busy doing everything possible to market these stocks. Some technical questions are involved, I understand. Although it is still a cause of some disagreement and still under discussion, there is a theory which holds that the creation of the area came about when highly Cretaceous shales were exposed to extreme pressure and the oil was absorbed into the soil.
Every effort should be made to overcome problems. It could be an international effort if financial problems make it too much of a task for Canada alone. Some research work has been done and drilling by J. D.Tait, of Vancouver has reached depths of a thousand feet. More such work is urgently needed, but, initially, we must clear up whatever difficulties cause Canada and the world of oil-starved nations to keep the Athabasca secret.
The first Tait wells were drilled in 1915. The initial surveys were done in 1913 and Sydney C. Ellis,of Canada's Mines branch visited ten plants it the U.S. Seeking methods of extraction. What did he learn? Certainly, we should find out more about this of such promise. The potential value goes beyond dreams because independence independence from Far Eastern oil would affect other aspects of East-West relationships vitally calling for major social adjustments on all sides.
A.L.M. February 18, 2006 [c486wds]
