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Oil Sands Jobs

Oil Sands are also known as tar sands. Very large quantities of oil sand can be found in Canada and Venezuela. Until recently oil sands were not considered part of the global oil reserves but the need for other energy options has moved oil sands to the fore front. Oil sands reserves are located in many locations world wide. They are located in Canada, Venezuela, USA, Russia, The Middle East, Bemolanga, Madagascar and Tsimiroro. Canada and Venezuela have so much in oil sand reserves that it is enough to equal all of the world's total conventional crude oil. The extraction of oil sands is currently accomplished through mining. The mining methods used are surface mining or the Alberta Taciuk process. The surface mining process is the most efficient way to extract the crude oil. The Alberta Taciuk process is done by moving the oil sand through a rotating drum and the bitumen (the viscous mixture) is cracked with heat, thereby producing lighter hydrocarbons. Other methods of extraction are as follows: Cyclic steam stimulation - steam is injected into the oil sand well. Cold flow - oil is pumped out of sand using progressive cavity pumps. This method is most commonly used in Venezuela. Steam assisted gravity drainage - steam is injected into the upper well the heat melts the bitumen, which allows it to flow to another well where it is pumped to the surface. The vapor extraction process - instead of a steam injection hydrocarbon solvents are injected into the well. The toe to heel air injection - ignites oil in the reservoir and creates a vertical wall of fire that moves from the toe of the well toward the heel burning off the heavier oil parts and forces the lighter part into the production well. This method is not very viable because it is hard to control the well fires. There are no pipelines transporting oil sand crude because it cannot flow through a pipeline at regular temperatures. This makes it difficult to transport and expensive to convert. Currently there are three oil sand mines in operation and the jobs are plentiful as the oil sand industry is growing.

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Roughneck Definition

Roughneck Definition Electronic Technician

This job title might make you think of what an electrician does. But you need to be aware that this is a very different role in many ways, and it does not have the same level of responsibility or involve as many tasks as an electrician would take on. The...

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