The library

Alberta oil, explained in depth

Long-form guides with every figure cited to its source, 3D models you can take apart, and interactives that do the maths.

9 guides51,600 words689 cited sources

Where to start

New to the industry

How Alberta oil works

  1. Oil sands: the complete guide
  2. The life of an oil well
  3. Inside a drilling rig (3D)
  4. SAGD in 3D
  5. Test yourself
Markets and money

Prices, pipelines and royalties

  1. Oil prices and Alberta's economy
  2. Getting Alberta oil to market
  3. Netback calculator
  4. Who owns Alberta's oil?
  5. Oil sands royalty calculator
Careers and safety

Working in the oilpatch

  1. Jobs, training and safety tickets
  2. H2S awareness training
  3. Inside a drilling rig (3D)
  4. Glossary
Environment

Land, water, air and climate

  1. Emissions, methane and carbon capture
  2. Oil sands tailings and reclamation
  3. Life of a well: abandonment and reclamation
Processing

From bitumen to fuel

  1. Upgrading and refining in Alberta
  2. What's in a barrel?
  3. Dilbit, diluent and pipelines
History and geology

From Leduc to the Clearwater

  1. Three centuries in one timeline
  2. The great oil fields atlas
  3. Equipment in 3D

All guides

  1. Oil sandsAlberta's Oil Sands: The Complete GuideHow Alberta's oil sands work: geology, reserves, mining and SAGD, production, operators, tailings, emissions, royalties and history.20 min read · 79 sources · draft
  2. ExtractionThe Life of an Alberta Oil Well: From Licence to ReclamationHow an Alberta oil well is licensed, drilled, fractured, produced, plugged and reclaimed, stage by stage, with the AER rules and latest data.26 min read · 71 sources · draft
  3. MarketsGetting Alberta Oil to Market: Pipelines, Rail and the Price DiscountHow Alberta crude reaches buyers: export pipelines, hubs, apportionment, crude by rail, diluent, regulation and why pipeline space sets the WCS discount.27 min read · 75 sources · draft
  4. MarketsOil Prices and Alberta's Economy: WTI, WCS and the Provincial BudgetHow WTI, WCS and the loonie set what Alberta oil earns, and how price swings move jobs, investment, royalties and the provincial budget.23 min read · 63 sources · draft
  5. PolicyWho Owns Alberta's Oil? Mineral Rights, Royalties and Regulation ExplainedHow Alberta's oil is owned, leased, taxed and regulated, from Crown mineral rights and royalties to the AER, orphan wells and landowner rights.20 min read · 93 sources · draft
  6. ProcessingFrom Bitumen to Fuel: Upgrading and Refining in AlbertaHow Alberta turns bitumen into synthetic crude, diesel and gasoline: upgraders, refineries, the Sturgeon Refinery, the Heartland and partial upgrading.25 min read · 56 sources · draft
  7. EnvironmentEmissions, Methane and Carbon Capture in Alberta's Oil IndustryWhere Alberta's oil and gas emissions come from, how methane, carbon pricing and carbon capture work, and what changed in the 2025–2026 policy deals.24 min read · 61 sources · draft
  8. CareersWorking in Alberta's Oil and Gas Industry: Jobs, Training and Safety TicketsJobs in Alberta oil and gas: what they pay, how to train, which safety tickets employers expect, rotations and camps, safety record, outlook and scams.25 min read · 90 sources · draft
  9. History and geologyAlberta's Great Oil Fields: An AtlasProfiles of Alberta's major oil plays, from Turner Valley and Leduc to the Montney, Duvernay and Clearwater, with geology, history and status.22 min read · 101 sources · draft

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