Geology at the steepbank [open quotes]In-Situ[close quotes] HASDrive Pilot Site, Athabasca Tar Sands, Canada
The Athabasca tar sands of northeastern Alberta contain 13 trillion bbl of bitumen in place, 5% of which is accessible by surface mining techniques. If there is to be significant exploitation of the deeper buried resources, it will have to be done using subsurface [open quotes]in-situ[close quotes] technologies. Compared to surface mining, these methods are potentially more economic, can be developed on a smaller scale and are environmentally more sound. The Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation is by far the richest hydrocarbon bearing unit in Canada. Overall, it is a transgressive sand and mud dominated unit deposited in fluvial to marine environments. The main reservoir unit is an estuarine sand, whole complexity makes for an elusive exploration target and a challenging development project. Successful reservoir management of a subsurface [open quotes]in-situ[close quotes] operation depends on a solid understanding of estuarine stratigraphy and its lithologic heterogeneities. For the past 20 years, Chevron has been developing an [open quotes]in-situ[close quotes] heavy oil extraction process called HASDrive (Heated Annulus Steam Drive). Recently, HASDrive and other technologies have been employed on a 77 mi[sup 2] lease with 9 billion bbl of heavy oil in place. The goal is to bring the lease to a fully commercial 10,000 bbl/day operation by 1997. In the exploration phase, 64 core hole wells were located with the aid of shallow 3-D seismic and electromagnetic techniques. The current pilot phase has utilized HASDrive to extract the bitumen from and sand and specialized seismic methods to monitor the development of the steam chamber.
- OSTI ID:
- 6060152
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930306-; CODEN: AABUD2
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:2; Conference: International congress of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Caracas (Venezuela), 14-17 Mar 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ATHABASCA DEPOSIT
GEOLOGY
STEAM INJECTION
BITUMENS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ALBERTA
CANADA
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
EXPLORATION
EXTRACTION
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
LITHOLOGY
STRATIGRAPHY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FLUID INJECTION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MESOZOIC ERA
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLOGY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TAR
040200* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
040401 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- In Situ Methods
True & Modified