Ikelic - Alliance Digital Repository

STATUS OF OIL SANDS PROJECTS (Underline denotes changes since June 1994)
R&D PROJECTS (Continued)
- GLISP PROJECT Amoco
Canada Petroleum Company Ltd. (14.29 percent) and AOSTRA (85.71 percent) (T-420)
The Gregoire Lake In-Situ Steam Pilot (GLISP) was an experimental steam pilot located at Section Z-86-7W. Phase B opera
tions were terminated in July 1991 due to financial limitations. Petro-Canada had participated in Phase A of the project, but
declined to participate in Phase B which was initiated in 1990. The lease is shared jointly by Amoco and Petro-Canada.
Amoco is the operator.
The GLISP production pattern consisted of a four spot geometry with an enclosed area of 0.28 hectacres (0.68 acres). The
process tested the use of steam and steam additives in the recovery of high viscous bitumen (1x10 million eP at virgin reservoir
temperature). Special fracturing techniques were tested. Three temperature observation wells and seismic methods were used
to monitor the in-situ process.
The project began operation in September 1985. Steaming operations were initiated in October 1986 to heat the production
wellbores. A production cycle was initiated in January 1987 and steam foam flooding began in October 1988. Foam injection
was terminated in February 1991. Steam diversion using low temperature oxidation was tested between April and July 1991.
Operations at GLISP were suspended July 18, 1991.
Project Cost: $26 million (Canadian)
- HANGINGSTONE PROJECT Petro-Canada,
Limited (T-430)
Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd., Imperial Oil Ltd. and Japan Canada Oil Sands
Construction of a 13 well cyclic steam pilot with 4 observation wells was completed and operation began on May 1, 1990. On
September 4, 1990, Petro-Canada announced the official opening of the Hangingstone Steam Pilot Plant.
The production performance of the first two cycles was said to be below expectations because of severe steam override. Cold
bitumen influx into the wellbore also caused severe rodfall problems and pump seizure. In May 1992, Petro-Canada, Canadian
Occidental and Imperial Oil withdrew from further testing of the Cyclic Steam Simulation (CSS) process at Hangingstone.
Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited (JACOS) assumed the piloting with Petro-Canada contract operating for JACOS.
Some of the pilot wells are now in their fourth production cycle.
Further testing of other in situ recovery processes by JACOS, alone or with jointly other Hangingstone owners, is possible fol
lowing the current CSS test.
The Group owns 34 leases in the Athabasca oil sands, covering 500,000 hectares. Most of the bitumen is found between 200
and 500 meters below the surface, with total oil in place estimated at 24 billion cubic meters.
The Hangingstone operations are expected to continue until the end of 1994. According to JACOS, total expenditures will
reach $160 million by 1994. Expansion to an enlarged pilot operation or a semi-commercial demonstration project could result
if the current project is deemed successful. The independent test phase by JACOS at Hangingstone completed operations
November 30. 1994. The project is suspended until further notice.
- IMPERIAL COLD LAKE PILOT PROJECTS Imperial
Oil Resources Limited. (T^35)
Imperial operates two steam based in situ recovery projects, the May-Ethel and Leming pilot plants, using steam stimulation in
the Cold Lake Deposit of Alberta. Tests have been conducted since 1964 at the May-Ethel pilot site in 27-64-3W4 on Lease
No. 40. Imperial has sold data from these tests to several companies. The Leming pilot is located in Sections 4 through 8-65-
3W4. The Leming pilot uses several different patterns and processes to test future recovery potential. Imperial expanded its
Leming field and plant facilities in 1980 to increase the capacity to 14,000 barrels per day at a cost $60 million. A further ex
pansion, costing $40 million, debottlenecked the existing facilities and increased the capacity to 16,000 barrels per day. By 1986.
the pilots had 500 wells. operating Approved capacity for all pilot projects is 3,100 cubic meters (about 19,500 barrels) per day
of bitumen.
The pilots have been used for testing a variety of recovery, production and facilities technologies.
They continue to serve as a testing area for optimizing the parameters of cyclic steam stimulation as well as on follow-up
recovery methods, such as steam displacement and horizontal wells.
(Also see Cold Lake in commercial projects listing)
Project Cost: $260 million
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SYNTHETIC FUELS REPORT, JANUARY 1995