How much bitumen is produced every year?
Alberta’s bitumen production first outstripped conventional oil output in 2001. Production of bitumen continues to grow, accounting for more than 72 per cent of Alberta’s total crude oil and raw bitumen output. Total bitumen production in Alberta is about 477 million barrels (76 million cubic metres), of which 55 per cent is from mining operations and the remainder is from in situ methods. The ERCB expects Alberta’s annual bitumen production to increase to around 1 billion barrels (160 million cubic metres) by 2018.
