A double gain if Singapore imports oil sands

business-times.asia1.com.sg :

Energy-hungry Singapore could potentially source cheaper oil to generate electricity and also increase the supply of sand in the island republic by exploring Canada's oil sands resources. Oil sands, located mostly in North Alberta, Canada, have an estimated reserve of 1.7 trillion to 2.5 trillion barrels. The Athabasca Oil Sands deposit, Alberta's largest and most accessible source of bitumen, contains more than one trillion barrels of bitumen over an area encompassing more than 30,000 square kilometres.

Oil sands are sand grains surrounded by bitumen, a heavy thick form of crude oil with a molasses-like consistency. Shallow oil sands deposits can be mined from the surface. It requires upgrading to make it transportable by pipeline and usable by oil refineries and utility companies but can be transported as dry cargo by railcar.

What have oil sands got to do with Singapore power companies and supply of sand to Singapore? If Singapore utility companies can import Orimulsion - 80 per cent bitumen and 20 per cent water - from Venezuela to be burnt in power plants to generate electricity, then with some investment, Singapore power companies can import raw oil sands, separate the oil and use the bitumen for burning while selling the sand to the domestic construction industry. At current crude oil (WTI) prices, raw oil sands cost about than US$10 per barrel or less.

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