Which regions of Russia contain deposits of tar sands?

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Arabian-Iranian basin oil fields — heavy oil and tar sand Major oil fields of the Arabian-Iranian basin region.

In Russia, deposits of tar sands (bitumen) are primarily located in the Volga-Ural and Siberian regions.1

While Russia possesses these significant bitumen resources, it is important to note that the exploitation of such heavy hydrocarbons presents substantial economic and technical challenges. Compared to conventional oil, the extraction and processing of tar sands are considerably more costly and energy-intensive, often requiring the combustion of significant fuel to facilitate recovery and transport. Furthermore, the abrasive nature of the material leads to rapid equipment wear, and the resulting refined products often yield high levels of sulfur and high-viscosity residues, which complicates the refining process.2