Tar Sands

"Tar sands" is a pejorative (negative) way of referring to heavy petroleum oil mixed with sand which is found in significant amounts in Canada, and is also present in possibly even greater amounts in Nigeria. These deposits are a valuable source of oil for the coming decades as conventional oil supplies dwindle and alternate energy resources are developed.

Tar sands is made when a very thick substance called bitumen is mixed with clay and sand. Oil shale is made when a waxy substance called kerogen is mixed with shale.

Bitumen extracted from tar sands has the consistency of peanut butter and must be diluted to flow through pipelines.