Athabasca Oil Sands : Northern Resource Exploration 1875 - 1951

Drawing extensively upon government records, scientific reports, and other primary sources, Ferguson traces the early history of the Athabasca oil sands from the first geological investigations of the late nineteenth century through the postwar period. The study examines the work of government agencies, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who sought to assess and develop the vast bituminous deposits of northern Alberta. Topics include geological surveys, experimental extraction methods, the activities of the Alberta Research Council, private promotional ventures, the wartime Abasand project, and the Bitumount pilot plant.

Notes adapted from the publisher's description.