Ikelic - Alliance Digital Repository

STATUS OF OIL SANDS PROJECTS (Underline denotes changes since June 1994)
R&D PROJECTS (Continued)
- EYEHILL IN SITU COMBUSTION PROJECT Canadian
pany Ltd. (T-390)
Occidental Petroleum, Ltd., C.S. Resources Ltd. and Murphy Oil Com
The experimental pilot is located in the Eyehill field, Cummings Pool, at Section 16-40-28-W3 in Saskatchewan six miles north
of Macklin. The pilot consists of nine five spot patterns with 9 air injection wells, 24 producers, 3 temperature observation
wells, and one pressure observation well. Infill of one of the patterns to a nine-spot was completed September 1, 1984. Five of
the original primary wells that are located within the project area were placed on production during 1984. The pilot covers 180
acres. Ignition of the nine injection wells was completed in February 1982. The pilot is fully on stream. Partial funding for this
project was provided by the Canada-Saskatchewan Heavy Oil Agreement Fund. The pilot was given the New Oil Reference
Price as of April 1, 1982.
The pilot has 40 feet of pay with most of the project area pay underlain by water. Reservoir depth is 2,450 feet. Oil gravity is
14.3 degrees API, viscosity 2,750 Cp at 70 degrees F, porosity 34 percent, and permeability 6,000 md.
Cumulative production reached one million barrels in 1988. This represents about 6 percent of the oil originally in place in the
project area. Another four million barrels is expected to be recovered in the project's remaining 10 years of life after 1988.
Production in 1990 continued at 500 barrels per day. The air compressors supplying combustion air were shut-in in June 1990.
Three horizontal wells were drilled in 1992, with one inside the fireflood boundaries. Production from the project peaked at
1,300 barrels per day. One additional horizontal well was drilled in 1993 and two more in 1994 to maintain production levels.
Project Cost: $15.2 million
- FORT KENT THERMAL PROJECT Bow
River Pipelines Ltd. (T^00)
Canadian Worldwide Energy Ltd. and Suncor, Inc. began development of a heavy oil deposit on a 5.960 acre lease in the Fort
Kent area of Alberta in 1978. This oil has an average gravity of 12.5 degrees API, and a sulfur content of 3.5 percent. The
project consisted of 126 wells utilizing huff and puff, with steamdrive as an additional recovery mechanism. The first
steamdrive pattern was commenced in 1980. with additional patterns converted from 1984 through 1986. In 1988. the project
was suspended.
At the time of suspension, the project was averaging 1.600 barrels of oil per day from 59 wells.
In 1989. Bow River Pipelines acquired the interests of both Canadian Worldwide and Suncor and combined the project with an
adjacent thermal operation. Currently, there are 24 operating wells producing 375 barrels of oil per day. The project continues
to operate as a huff and puff and steamdrive process. Ultimate recoveries are expected to reach 18 percent by huff and puff
and 24 percent with steamdrive.
In 1993. Bow River drilled a horizontal well within an area that had been cyclically steamed in an effort to increase recoveries
beyond 35 percent.
Project Cost: Unknown
FROG LAKE PILOT PROJECT-Texaco Canada Petroleum (T-405)
The Frog Lake Lease is located about 50 miles northwest of Lloydminster, Alberta in the southeastern portion of the Cold
Lake Oil Sands deposit. The lease contains a number of heavy oil producing horizons, but primary production rates are
generally restricted to less than 5 cubic meters per day per well due in large part to the high viscosity of the oil.
During the 1960s steam stimulation treatments were carried out on several wells on the Frog
Lake lease but based on these
tests it was concluded that conventional thermal recovery methods using steam are hampered by the thermal inefficiency as
sociated with the thin sands.
In 1991 Texaco began preparing to apply electromagnetic heating to stimulate three Lower Waseca wells at Frog Lake. The
wells were placed on production in late November 1990 and electromagnetic heating was scheduled to commence by mid-1991.
Upon completion of the tests in 1993 it is expected there will be sufficient data available to develop reliable economics for a
commercial project. A reservoir simulator will be used to history-match test results and make predictions of production rates
and ultimate recovery for various well patterns and spacing.
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SYNTHETIC FUELS REPORT, JANUARY 1995