BMC 298 - Oil Sands: Overview, Environmental Impacts, and Regulations

Course Description

With respect to Alberta's oil sands, should Canada be forced to choose between economic development and a sustainable environment? This course is designed for anyone interested in the environmental management, public relations, and health and safety job categories in the oil and gas industry. Through this course, develop the skill set required to understand, review, analyze, and evaluate environmental data and information related to the oil sands industry.

Course Details

With the largest oil reserves in the world in the form of oil sands, it is estimated that 1.7 to 2.5 trillion barrels of oil are deposited in a combination of sand, water and clay in Northern Alberta. This emphasizes the emerging leading role of Canada as a secure energy resource. In order to have a sustainable developing industry and economy, it is necessary to train a work force to be well-informed of all aspects of this industry, including technical operation, environmental impacts, public perspectives and governmental policies and regulations. In recent years, the oil sands have become a focus point for national and intentional environmental groups to the extent that some call it "dirty oil."

By completion of this course, successful students will be able to:

• Understand the strategic role of Alberta and Canada in the global energy market
• Gain knowledge on the source of the oil sands and geology in the region
• Understand the difference between a situ oil sands operation and open pit mining
• Present the history of oil sands technology development
• Learn the concept behind oil sands extraction and gain a big picture overview of oil sands operations
• Discuss the key and critical issues related to environmental management
• Evaluate the existing tailings and gas emission management
• Evaluate and analyze the environmental information published in the global media
• Gain contrast on CCS (carbon, capture, and storage) from an environmental management perspective
• Learn about existing regulations related to oil sands

Applies Towards the Following Program(s)

• Environmental Management Certificate : Optional Courses