FUELS FROM TAR SAND BITUMEN in C#.NET

Scan Code 128 Code Set B in C#.NET FUELS FROM TAR SAND BITUMEN

reservoirs where the oil in-place had viscosity in the range of 10,000 to 25,000 cP (somewhat lower than the viscosity of tar sand bitumen) Nevertheless, the projects did cover a wide range of reservoir conditions: porosity ranged from 15 to 37 percent and permeability was up to 6000 millidarcies Bitumen saturation was up to 90 percent of the pore space (up to 22 percent by weight of the tar sand) and the API gravity ranged from 2 to 14 API and viscosity from 1 to 2 million centipoise Finally, the fact that most of the tar sand resource in the United States is too deep for economic development is reflected in the ratio of the numbers of in situ projects to mining/ extraction projects (almost 4:1) Obviously, there are many features to consider when development of tar sand resources is planned It is more important to recognize that what are important features for one resource might be less important in the development of a second resource Recognition of this facet of tar sand development is a major benefit that will aid in the production of liquid fuels in an economic and effective manner Construction is underway for the next phase of oil sands growth as part of the Voyageur Project This is expected to give production capacity of 350,000 bbl/day by 2008 and includes a new pair of coke drums the largest ever constructed (using ConocoPhillips ThruPlus delayed coking technology) and a sulfur recovery plant Suncor s Firebag in situ operations are located 40 km northwest of the original oil sands plant and will form a key part of the increased bitumen supply to the upgraders as the project progresses Key elements of the Voyageur Project are the construction of a third oil sands upgrader in Fort McMurray; expansion of the bitumen supply; and the continuation of third-party bitumen supplies Plans call for the new upgrader to be constructed approximately half a kilometer southwest of existing Suncor upgrader facilities The new facility will include cokers, hydrotreaters, utilities support, and a 50 km hot bitumen pipeline to connect the upgrader with the Suncor in situ operations Preparations have begun on the site but construction is not expected to begin until 2007 while some final decisions are made The upgrader has been designed to produce light crude oil and production from the new facility is expected to be brought online in phases starting in 2010 with full capacity of approximately 550,000 bbl/day targeted in 2012 It is estimated that constructing the upgrader will cost C$59 billion Suncor has also identified the need for additional pipeline capacity from Fort McMurray to Edmonton and the company is pursuing various options to accommodate the additional volumes The construction of the upgrader would employ approximately 4000 workers Approximately 300 new permanent jobs at Suncor s oil sands facility are expected to be created when the upgrader is in full operation Suncor also intends to build and operate a petroleum coke gasifier that would reduce the company s reliance on natural gas The gasifier is planned to process about 20 percent of the proposed upgrader s petroleum coke (a byproduct of the upgrading process) into synthetic gas The synthetic gas would then be used to supply hydrogen and fuel The gasifier will add an estimated $600 million to the total cost of this project Suncor s Steepbank and millennium mines currently produce 263,000 bbl/day and its Firebag in situ project produces 35,000 bbl/day It intends to spend C$32 billion to expand its mining operations to 400,000 bbl/day and in situ production to 140,000 bbl/day by 2008 An estimate of the recoverable oil resources on Suncor leases is 9 billion barrels of crude oil At current rates of production, the Athabasca oil sands reserves as a whole could last over 400 years New in situ methods have been developed to extract bitumen from deep