"Alberta's oil sands represent a vast and virtually untapped oil reserve that could reasonably supply all of Canada's energy needs for the next 475 years. With an estimated 300 billion barrels of recoverable oil at stake, the quest to transform this natural resource from scientific project to commercial endeavour has involved many powerful groups, both nationally and internationally, over the past 80 years." "Developing Alberta's Oil Sands is the first comprehensive history of the oil sands project. Integrating the economic, political, scientific, and business factors that have been influential in discovering and developing the sands, the book provides a fascinating window on the complex relationships between industry, government, and transnational players."