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Oil Sands
USTAR’s Eastern Utah Technology Outreach Team is assisting research, industry and entrepreneurial leaders to responsibly produce energy from Utah’s abundant oil sands resources. Oil sands reserves are increasingly being considered an important part of the world’s oil reserves. Canada produces roughly half of its oil from oil sands. Most of the United States’ oil sands resources are concentrated in Eastern Utah. Utah’s oil sands, also referred to as tar sands, are estimated to contain 12 to 19 billion barrels of oil.
USTAR is assisting Utah-based energy companies, such as Temple Mountain Energy, to responsibly produce oil and other valuable products from oils sands. In fact, oil sands are a great local source of asphalt for Utah’s roads. The Institute for Clean and Secure Energy (ICSE) is actively studying Utah’s oil sands and exploring new technologies and techniques for producing energy from this resource. USTAR is also encouraging the development of new technologies for reducing the environmental impact, water use and carbon emissions associated with oil sands development.
Additional Resources: Utah Heavy Oil Program www.heavyoil.utah.edu
Utah’s Major Oil Sand Deposits