Industry gearing up for assault on Athabasca tar sands

Journal Article · Mon Feb 04 04:00:00 EDT 1974 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7111777

According to the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), there are 74 billion bbl of in-place crude bitumen in the Athabasca deposit, and recoverable bitumen will amount to 38 billion bbl if recoveries of 83 percent at 0-50 ft, 58 percent at 50-100 ft, and 30 percent at 100-150 ft are assumed. Potential reserves of synthetic crude (from unminable tar sands) at 150-2000 ft total 114.8 billion bbl for Athabasca and three other fields. By 1985, tar sands and heavy-oil fields should provide 800,000 bbl/day of oil. Alberta's known deposits of tar sands and heavy oil could ultimately support 20-30 plants, each with a capacity of 100,000-150,000 bbl/day, producing a combined 3 million bbl/day of crude oil. Each plant would require a lead time of 5-6 years from conception to startup, $800 million in capital, and $200 million in specialized equipment. Syncrude Canada Ltd. and Shell Canada Ltd. will experiment with the use of a hot-water-extraction and froth-separation process for bitumen recovery. Canadian tar-sand projects currently planned are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 7111777
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 72:5; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040100* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Reserves & Exploration-- (-1989)
ATHABASCA DEPOSIT
BITUMENS
FINANCING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INDUSTRY
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SAND INDUSTRY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
RESERVES
RESOURCES
TAR