Canada's R and D activities in oil sands and heavy oil
The Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA) stimulates oil sands and heavy oil development. Four very large deposits of oil sands in Northern Alberta are the focus of this paper. The problem with the mining is the extremely high viscosity of the bitumen under reservoir conditions. Various solutions to this difficulty are attempted. Surface mining leaves room for improvement because of the volumes of aquaeous tailings it produces. Different extraction methods are considered. 90% of the Athabasca deposit is too thick for surface mining, so in-situ steam injection or underground combustion have been tried. The ''huff and puff'' technique used at Cold Lake is described. Cyclic steam pressurization-depressurization used at the Peace River deposit is also mentioned. These are only a few of the projects supported by AOSTRA.
- Research Organization:
- Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority, Edmonton, Alberta
- OSTI ID:
- 5569416
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-820217-
- Journal Information:
- Energy Technol. (Wash., D.C.); (United States), Vol. 9; Conference: 9. energy technology conference, Washington, DC, USA, 16 Feb 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALBERTA
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SAND INDUSTRY
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
FINANCING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
ATHABASCA DEPOSIT
BITUMENS
CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS
COLD LAKE DEPOSIT
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
HOT-WATER PROCESSES
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
OIL SAND MINING
OIL SANDS
PEACE RIVER DEPOSIT
PRESSURIZING
STEAM INJECTION
STEAM SOAK PROCESSES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
VISCOSITY
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CANADA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INDUSTRY
MATERIALS
MINING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
TAR
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
040000* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands