The film follows five people working in or around the infamous Athabasca oil sands of Northern Alberta as they compete in a karaoke contest held at local watering hole Bailey's Pub.

As the five featured workers progress through the stages of the karaoke contest, singing pop favourites from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Britney Spears, they explain through interviews how and why they came to work in the oil industry, and how it has impacted their lives.

All feel that singing helps relieve the stress of long hours working heavy equipment, or the loneliness of living in a remote industrial town.

Prior to working in the oil sands, Dan pursued a career as a country singer, but family and financial obligations made him give up his recording dreams.

Iceis came to life as part of Massey's recovery from dissociative post-traumatic stress disorder, which he suffered due to violence and abuse in his childhood and teens.

Massey believes he was the first gay man to come out in blue-collar Fort McMurray, and his company now sponsors multiple charitable programs, including a drag show, to combat bullying and homophobia.

Jason Sauchuk is a soft-spoken fan of videogames who trained as a computer programmer, but joined his father in the heavy equipment industry after school.

Oil Sands Karaoke had its world premiere on April 26, 2013 at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto.

"[12] Nicholas Gergesha of Point of View Magazine wrote "...filmmakers Charles Wilkinson and Tina Schliessler generate a meaningful and multifaceted discussion about the environment, the economy and the often-ignored human element in a destructive industry.