Oil sands companies use large amounts of high-temperature heat to extract bitumen from sand
Nuclear SMRs could decarbonise Canada’s oil sands sector
But cost and commercialisation timeframes may prove a barrier to adoption
Nuclear energy—and especially new small modular reactor (SMR) technologies—could slash emissions from the oil sands industry in Canada, according to industry experts. Oil sands companies use large amounts of high-temperature heat to produce steam to extract bitumen from sand, both at upgraders at the mine sites and by pumping steam underground to produce bitumen in situ. The heat tends to be produced by burning gas, and as a result the oil sands industry accounts for about a tenth of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. “Some of the SMR technologies presently under development will be producing substantially more high-temperature heat compared to conventional nuclear reactors that are geared f
Also in this section
11 August 2025
The administration is pushing for deregulation and streamlined permitting for natural gas, while tightening requirements and stripping away subsidies from renewables
8 August 2025
The producers’ group missed its output increase target for the month and may soon face a critical test of its strategy
7 August 2025
The quick, unified and decisive strategy to return all the barrels from the hefty tranche of cuts from the eight producers involved in voluntary curbs signals a shift and sets the tone for the path ahead
7 August 2025
Without US backing, the EU’s newest sanctions package against Russia—though not painless—is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country’s oil and gas revenues or its broader economy
