The west Canadian province of Alberta has one of the world's biggest oil deposits, but it faces one of the world's biggest controversies in extracting it.
The oil is contained in vast areas of sand, and the process to separate the two creates huge amounts of both greenhouse gases and waste water.
For some communities, the economic benefit of producing two million barrels of oil a day far outweighs any environmental impact.
But others, include rock star Neil Young, have mounted a campaign over worsening pollution and health, even comparing the effects of the industry to an act of genocide.
Dateline's Mary Ann Jolley investigated, and Ron Sutton asked her why the separation method creates such controversy when so much of the world's oil comes from sandy regions.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full interview)
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