Fort Hills

RESOURCE CONTEXT

167.3 Bbbl proved (187 Bbbl proved + probable); 1,845 Bbbl in place

The largest proved hydrocarbon inventory in Alberta and the base load of provincial royalty income.

Official reserve statements for this commodity (3)

• Crude bitumen — proved reserves167.3 Bbbl · Remaining established reserves · 31 Dec 2023AGS/AER INF 161 (McDaniel) ↗
• Crude bitumen — initial in place1,845 Bbbl · Initial in place · 31 Dec 2023AGS/AER INF 161 ↗
• Cold Lake in situ bitumen (share of 153 Bbbl in situ P+P)153 Bbbl in situ P+P (province) · Remaining established reserves · 31 Dec 2023AER ST98 2026 reserves ↗

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

Prospectivity envelopes for Crude bitumen (oil sands)

• Athabasca McMurray mineable and SAGD fairwayProducing / drill-proven
  Lower Cretaceous McMurray fluvial-estuarine sand saturated with biodegraded oil

Development regime

Tenure

Oil sands lease under the Oil Sands Tenure Regulation (Alberta Energy and Minerals).

Royalty

Pre-payout 1–9 % of gross revenue (sliding with WTI C$55–120); post-payout the greater of 1–9 % gross or 25–40 % net.

DATASETS TO STACK HERE

Public layers that cover this site

• Bedrock geology polygons (DIG 2013-0018, queryable)Alberta Geological SurveyAttribute-level bedrock mapping for screening host lithologies; heavy, so it loads only when zoomed in.
• Bedrock topography (DIG 2020-0022 tiles)Alberta Geological SurveyBuried valleys and bedrock highs: where cover is thin (cheap stripping) and where preglacial gravels pool.
• Sediment (drift) thickness above bedrockAlberta Geological SurveyOverburden cost for open-pit targets and the depth of cover that geophysics must see through.
• Seismic / forestry cutlines (oil sands region)Alberta Environment and Protected Areas – OSIPWhere 2D/3D seismic has been shot; legacy data may be purchasable from brokers.
• AGS prospective areas for mineral explorationAlberta Geological SurveyThe survey's own view of where each commodity is prospective; compare with the Atlas knowledge-driven envelopes.
• NRCan Map 900A: producing mines, mineral areas, oil & gas fieldsNatural Resources CanadaOfficial federal view of producing operations to cross-check the Atlas mine inventory.
• Oil sands agreementsAlberta Energy and MineralsOil sands rights; nearly all of the Athabasca mineable area is leased.
• Non-Crown mineral ownershipAlberta Energy and MineralsFreehold minerals need private deals and carry freehold mineral tax instead of Crown royalty.

NEARBY OPERATIONS

Within reach

• Canadian Natural HorizonOil sands mine · Canadian Natural · ≈7 kmOperating
• Syncrude Aurora NorthOil sands mine · Syncrude · ≈10 kmOperating
• Muskeg River (Albian)Oil sands mine · Canadian Natural · ≈11 kmOperating
• Jackpine (Albian)Oil sands mine · Canadian Natural · ≈14 kmOperating
• Susan Lake gravel pitAggregate pit · Athabasca Minerals / Fort McKay partners · ≈15 kmOperating
• Froth-treatment tailings heavy minerals (Ti–Zr–REE)Critical-minerals recovery · CVW CleanTech (ex-Titanium Corp) / AGS studies · ≈16 kmPilot / demonstration