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Aerial photograph of the Horizon Oil Sands in 2013

Horizon Oil Sands is an oil sands mining and upgrading project in Bitumount, Alberta, Canada. The project includes a surface oil sands mining and bitumen extraction plant, complemented by on-site bitumen upgrading with associated infrastructure. [1]

Initial examination of the Horizon project began in 2004. [2] Construction started in 2005 and it started operating on February 28, 2009. [2]

Horizon is owned and operated by Canadian Natural Resources. The company holds leases that are estimated to contain approximately 14.4 billion barrels (2.29×10^9 m3) of bitumen initially in place (BIIP), with best estimate contingent resources other than reserves of 4.1 billion barrels (650×10^6 m3) of bitumen and 3.3 billion barrels (520×10^6 m3) of proved and probablereserves. The Horizon Oil Sands are located on these leases just north of Fort McMurray, Alberta in the Athabasca region. [1]

Controversy

On April 25, 2007, two employees were killed when a roof situated at the location collapsed. [3] In addition, four other people were injured in the incident. [3] On September 3, 2008, a contract employee was killed when their backhoe overturned in a tailings pond. [4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Canadian Natural Resources - Horizon Oil Sands". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2012-12-25.
  2. ^ a b "The Horizon Oil Sands site". CBC News. January 7, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "2 oilsands workers killed in roof collapse". CBC News. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  4. ^ "Contractor dies in workplace accident at Horizon oilsands site". CBC News. September 3, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2012.

External links