How long will Alberta's oil sands last?

Proved reserves of 167.3 billion barrels (McDaniel, effective end-2023) equal more than 140 years at current production, and the 1.8 trillion barrels in place are an order of magnitude larger. Market demand, carbon policy and pipeline capacity limit output long before geology does.

How do Alberta's oil reserves compare with other countries?

Alberta's proved oil reserves of roughly 176 billion barrels (bitumen plus crude oil and condensate) put it third or fourth in the world, behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, depending on whether Iran's reported reserves are counted higher (EIA ranks Canada third; OPEC-based tables rank it fourth).

INTERACTIVE MAP · PUBLIC DATA

Alberta oil sands map

The three official oil sands areas, the surface-mineable fairway north of Fort McMurray, OASIS project and scheme boundaries, and the eight operating oil sands mines with their October 2026 output.

Alberta holds 167.3 billion barrels of proved bitumen reserves and 1.8 trillion barrels in place. Mines produced 1.77 million bbl/d and in-situ projects 1.95 million bbl/d in 2025.

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QUESTIONS THIS MAP ANSWERS

Frequently asked

How long will Alberta's oil sands last?: Proved reserves of 167.3 billion barrels (McDaniel, effective end-2023) equal more than 140 years at current production, and the 1.8 trillion barrels in place are an order of magnitude larger. Market demand, carbon policy and pipeline capacity limit output long before geology does. More
How do Alberta's oil reserves compare with other countries?: Alberta's proved oil reserves of roughly 176 billion barrels (bitumen plus crude oil and condensate) put it third or fourth in the world, behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, depending on whether Iran's reported reserves are counted higher (EIA ranks Canada third; OPEC-based tables rank it fourth). More

DATA BEHIND THIS MAP (5)

Official sources

Oil sands areas & royalty regime boundariesAlberta Energy and Minerals · Mineral tenure · drawableWhich tenure and royalty regime applies.
Surface mineable oil sands (local GeoJSON)Government of Alberta · Mineral tenure · drawableOverburden under 75 m: the mining fairway and the froth-tailings heavy-mineral source.
Oil sands projects, schemes & development areas (OASIS)Alberta Energy and Minerals · Infrastructure · drawableApproved project footprints — the mines and SAGD schemes whose tailings and produced water host by-product minerals.
Oil sands agreementsAlberta Energy and Minerals · Mineral tenure · drawableOil sands rights; nearly all of the Athabasca mineable area is leased.
Seismic / forestry cutlines (oil sands region)Alberta Environment and Protected Areas – OSIP · Seismic & crustal transects · drawableWhere 2D/3D seismic has been shot; legacy data may be purchasable from brokers.

COMMODITY PROFILES

Reserves, value and feasibility

Crude bitumen (oil sands)Titanium & zirconium (oil sands heavy minerals)Sulphur (by-product)CO2 pore space (carbon storage)

Operations on this map

Suncor Base Plant (Millennium / North Steepbank)Oil sands mine · SuncorOperating
Fort HillsOil sands mine · Suncor (100 %)Operating
Syncrude Mildred Lake (North Mine + MLX-West)Oil sands mine · Syncrude (Suncor-operated)Operating
Syncrude Aurora NorthOil sands mine · SyncrudeOperating
Canadian Natural HorizonOil sands mine · Canadian NaturalOperating
KearlOil sands mine · Imperial (71 %) / ExxonMobilOperating
Muskeg River (Albian)Oil sands mine · Canadian NaturalOperating
Jackpine (Albian)Oil sands mine · Canadian NaturalOperating

Frequently asked

Official sources

Reserves, value and feasibility

Operations on this map

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