The Athabasca Oil Sands are a large deposit of bitumen located in northeastern Alberta, Canada. This area is one of the largest oil sands reserves in the world, covering approximately 142,000 square kilometers. The bitumen found here can be extracted and processed to produce synthetic crude oil, making it a significant source of energy. Extraction methods include surface mining and in-situ techniques, which are used depending on the depth of the deposits. The oil sands play a crucial role in Canada's economy, contributing to energy production and job creation, while also raising environmental concerns related to land use and greenhouse gas emissions.