Comparative economics of tar sands conversion processes

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1970 · 160th Nat. Amer. Chem. Soc. MTG.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5210948

Roberts, P V; Phillips, R C

The tar sands resource is the only solid fuel resource currently being converted to liquid fuels in North America on a large scale. A 45,000 bpd syncrude plant based on tar sands is currently in operation in the Athabasca region of Alberta. The major steps in conversion of tar sand to syncrude are: (1) surface mining of tar sands; (2) hot water extraction of bitumen from mined tar sands; and (3) upgrading of bitumen by coking or hydrovisbreaking followed by hydrotreating of distillates. The economics of a combined tar sands mining and conversion venture have been analyzed. It was found that tar sands mining costs, bitumen recovery efficiencies, choice of upgrading process, price of syncrude product, and royalty payments all significantly affect the discounted cash flow rate of return from an integrated venture. Results are presented at a level of 50,000 bpd syncrude production and effects of the factors listed above are discussed. Effect of changing the scale of operations also is discussed.

• Research Organization: Stanford Research Inst
• OSTI ID: 5210948
• Report Number(s): CONF-700911-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: 160th Nat. Amer. Chem. Soc. MTG.; (United States) Journal Volume: FUEL18
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040400 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Oil Production
Recovery
& Refining
040800 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Economics
Industrial
& Business Aspects
ALBERTA
ATHABASCA DEPOSIT
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CANADA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONIZATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COKING
COST
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SOURCES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HOT-WATER PROCESSES
HYDROTORTING PROCESS
INCOME
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MATERIALS
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SAND PROCESSING PLANTS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SURFACE MINING
TAR