Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Where are the largest tar sand deposits located?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
heavy oil and tar sand
Major oil fields of the Arabian-Iranian basin region.
The largest known deposits of tar sand are located in the Athabasca River valley of Alberta, Canada. This region is estimated to hold nearly three-quarters of the world’s total endowment of bitumen. Other significant deposits in Canada include those found in the Cold Lake and Peace River areas.12
While the Orinoco Belt in Venezuela contains one of the world's largest petroleum reserves, it is classified as a heavy oil field rather than a true tar sand deposit because it is nonbituminous. Outside of Canada, additional bitumen deposits are believed to exist in Russia—specifically within the Siberian and Volga-Urals regions—and in Kazakhstan.32