Hydrocarbon hysteria: Differentiating approaches to consumption and contamination in regulatory frameworks governing unconventional hydrocarbon extraction

Pearson, J ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0164-9499 (2015) Hydrocarbon hysteria: Differentiating approaches to consumption and contamination in regulatory frameworks governing unconventional hydrocarbon extraction. Journal of Planning and Environment Law (1). pp. 3-15. ISSN 0307-4870

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Abstract

The article focuses on two examples of hydrocarbon extraction below their peak in the eyes of scientists to illustrate the theoretical and regulatory issues. The first is the extraction of the so-called oil or tar sands in Alberta, Canada. The material is a partially liquid and partially solid material constituting a mixture primarily of bitumen, water and sand, among other elements, often frozen solid during winter owing to its water content. The raw material is extracted either by conventional open cast mining or a number of methods involving the injection of either heated fluid mixtures or steam at high pressure to liquefy the mixture underground, allowing it to be pumped out in a manner akin to conventional crude oil.