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Unconventional hydrocarbons are generally portrayed in the media as “dirty” to produce. While this characterization is generally incorrect because the industry subscribes to good environmental health and safety practices, many unconventional hydrocarbons do have a greater greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint in comparison to conventional crude oils. For heavy oil and bitumen, this greater GHG footprint is created, in large part, because steam is generated on the surface by burning natural gas and the steam is then injected to enhance oil recovery. Accordingly, there has been an emphasis on quantifying the environmental aspects of hydrocarbon production and on developing recovery methods that result in smaller environmental and GHG footprints. Likewise, the role played by unconventional resources in the energy supply spectrum has grown.

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