The vast Alberta bitumen resources are considered to have started out as living material from marine plants and animals, mainly algae, that died millions of years ago when an ancient ocean covered Alberta.
ðə vˈæst ælbˈɜːɾə bɪtˈuːmɛn ɹᵻsˈoːɹsᵻz ɑːɹ kənsˈɪdɚd tə hæv stˈɑːɹɾᵻd ˈaʊt æz lˈɪvɪŋ mətˈɪɹiəl fɹʌm mɚɹˈiːn plˈænts ænd ˈænɪməlz, mˈeɪnli ˈælɡiː, ðæt dˈaɪd mˈɪliənz ʌv jˈɪɹz ɐɡˈoʊ wɛn ɐn ˈeɪntʃənt ˈoʊʃən kˈʌvɚd ælbˈɜːɾə.