This paper discusses the history of the Athabasca Oil Sands in Alberta, Canada, from the time of their discovery in 1788 to the present. These oil sands extend over 30,000 swuare miles and are equal to half of the world's known “conventional” oil accumulations. Besides the history of the oil sands, the paper discusses the known processes available for excavation here, the problems faced because of the extreme cold weather (for example, what kind of fuels, lubricants, even vehicles themselves should be used?), and offers suggestions for successful cold weather operations.
