Recovery

The Idea

The key goal is to modify existing processes for extracting heavy oil, in oil sands reservoirs. Minor changes in operating process design will yield benefits such as reduced CO₂emissions, less energy used to extract oil, and reduced water input.

The Research

Professor Ian Gates and his team will analyze major CO₂emission sources from existing thermal bitumen recovery processes, and then identify carbon reduction targets. Integrated fluids and reservoir characterization, multi-well control algorithms and injection strategies will then be utilized to reduce carbon emissions in existing processes. Essentially, existing infrastructure will be controlled in an intelligent, automated manner taking all monitored data into account to improve steam conformance in the reservoir. This automated approach is called a Reservoir Production Machine. In turn, well injection and production pressures and rates are altered dynamically to optimize the recovery, efficiency, and carbon intensity of the processes. To date, there has been no research focused on controlling the reservoir with automation. Computer automation will result in ~20-25% more efficiency at the reservoir.

Research Grant

$350,000 / 3 years; Awarded in 2010

Benefits to Canada and beyond

Alberta has been a leader in oil sands production following the invention of steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) and cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) for oil sands reservoirs. SAGD and CSS are the two currently commercial oil sands technologies for producing heavy oils and bitumen, and other parts of the world are using these technologies. Currently, more focus has been placed on high volume oil extraction rather than reduction of CO₂ emissions and water injection. Reservoir production machines (RPM) would allow Canada to be leaders in automated, controlled, more environmentally friendly SAGD and CSS production. Canada could also be a leader in exporting new technologies.

Industrial Applications

This technology can be applied to any oil field technology using injectants, not merely SAGD. RPMs can be used to monitor and control these current technologies with minor changes in operational style. RPMs can result in large cumulative savings in CO₂, energy, and water. There are also reduced operating costs through reduced energy input. This technology will also help to reduce carbon emissions.

Industrial Project Partners

There are two industrial project partners on the Gates project. The Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and ConocoPhillips have both donated field data.