New era for oil sands development: SAGD project
- Alberta Dept. of Energy, Calgary (Canada)
Canada`s sources of supply of Canadian conventional crude oil are depleting at a rapid rate. The conventional crude oil will have to be replenished from known sources of bitumen and Athabasca light sweet crude oil (synthetic crude oil). More than 52 billion cubic metres (m{sup 3}) (330 billion barrels) of bitumen occur in the Athabasca oil sands deposit, which can be recovered by using the Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) in situ recovery process. Nine major oil companies participate with the Alberta Department of Energy, Oil Sands and Research Division (OS&RD), on a key development project called the Underground Test Facility (UTF). Energy, Mines and Resources Canada (CANMET) participates in the UTF Project geotechnical program. Syncrude Canada Limited is an associate member of the UTF Project and as such also purchases the UTF bitumen production from Phase B. The field demonstration project has started-up and is currently producing at its target rate of 2000 barrels per day (b/d). It is testing the technical and economic viability of 500 metre (m) long twin horizontal wells placed 3 to 5 m vertically apart in the oil sands near the base of the pay zone. Current plans are to expand the test program by increasing the production to 4500 b/d. Commercialization activities are being pursued by the UTF Task Force. It is planned that this approach will lead to the formation of a consortium to build and operate a commercial in situ project in the Athabasca region of Alberta. Bitumen supply costs are estimated to be about U.S. $4/barrel for a 5,000 m{sup 3}d (30,000 b/d) commercial plant at the UTF site. All the above factors lead to a bright future for oil sands development. It is important for the oil industry to grasp the opportunity since the government wants these oil sands reserves developed now.
- OSTI ID:
- 269525
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9502114-Vol.1; TRN: 96:001163-0014
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 6. UNITAR international conference on heavy crude and tar sands on fueling for a clean and safe environment, Houston, TX (United States), 12-17 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]; Related Information: Is Part Of Heavy crude and tar sands -- Fueling for a clean and safe environment. Proceedings: Volume 1; Meyer, R.F. [ed.]; PB: 811 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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