Ikelic - Alliance Digital Repository

STATUS OF OIL SANDS PROJECTS (Underline denotes changes since June 1994)
R&D PROJECTS (Continued)
IRON - RIVER PILOT PROJECT Mobil Oil Canada (T-440)
The Iron River Pilot Project commenced steam stimulation operations in March 1988. It consists of a four hectare pad
development with 23 slant and directional wells and 3 observation wells on 3.2 and 1.6 hectare spacing within a 65 hectare
drainage area. The project is 100 percent owned by Mobil Oil. It is located in the northwest quarter of Section 6-64-6W4 ad
jacent to the Iron River battery facility located on the southwest corner of the quarter section. The project is expected to
produce up to 200 cubic meters of oil per day. The was battery expanded to handle the expected oil and water volumes. The
produced oil is transported by underground pipeline to the battery. Pad facilities consist of 105 million U/hr steam generation
facility, test separation equipment, piping for steam and produced fluids, and a flare system for casing gas.
To obtain water for the steam operation, ground water source wells were drilled on the pad site. Prior to use, the water is
treated. Produced water is injected into a deep water disposal well. Fuel for steam generation is supplied from Mobil's fuel
gas supply system and the treated oil is trucked to the nearby Husky facility at Tucker Lake.
The pilot project was successfully operated until mid-1991. The pilot is still suspended as of August 1993.
Project Cost: $14 million
- KEARL LAKE PROJECT See
Athabasca In Situ Pilot Project (T-270)
LINDBERGH STEAM PROJECT- Murphy Oil Company, Ltd. (T-470)
This experimental in situ recovery project is located at 13-58-5 W4, Lindbergh, Alberta, Canada. The pilot produces from a 60
foot thick Lower Grand Rapids formation at a depth of 1650 feet. The pilot began with one inverted seven spot pattern enclos
ing 20 acres. Each well has been steam stimulated and produced roughly eleven times. A steam drive from the center well was
tested from 1980 to 1983 but has been terminated. Huff-and-puff continued. Production rates from the seven-spot area were
encouraging, and a 9 well expansion was completed August 1, 1984, adding two more seven spots to the pilot. Oil gravity is 11
degrees API and has a viscosity of 85,000 Cp at reservoir temperature F. Porosity is 33 percent and permeability is 2500 md.
This pilot is currently suspended due to low oil prices.
(Refer to the Lindbergh Commercial Thermal Recovery Project (T-33) listed in commercial projects.)
Project Cost: $7 million capital, $2.5 million per year operating
- LINDBERGH THERMAL PROJECT Amoco
Canada Petroleum Company Ltd. (T-480)
Amoco (formerly Dome) drilled 56 wells in section 18-55-5 W4M in the Lindbergh field in order to evaluate an enriched air
and air injection fire flood scheme. The project consists of nine 30 acre, inverted seven spot patterns to evaluate the combina
tion thermal drive process. The enriched air scheme included three 10 acre patterns. Currently only one 10 acre enriched air
pattern is operational.
Air was injected into one 10 acre pattern to facilitate sufficient burn volume around the wellbore prior to switching over to en
riched air injection in July 1982. Oxygen breakthrough to the producing wells resulted in the shut down of oxygen injection. A
concerted plan of steam stimulating the producers and injecting straight air into this pattern was undertaken during the next
several years. Enriched air injection was reinitiated in this pattern in August 1985. Initial injection rate was 200,000 cubic feet
per day of 100 percent pure oxygen. Early oxygen breakthrough was controlled in the first year of Combination Thermal Drive
(CTD) by reducing enrichment to 80 percent oxygen.
In the second year of CTD, further oxygen breakthrough was controlled by stopping injection, then injecting air followed by
50 percent O . Lack of production response and corrosion caused the pilot to be shut in in mid-1990.
Project Cost: $22 million
- MINE-ASSISTED PILOT PROJECT (see
Underground Test Facility Project)
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SYNTHETIC FUELS REPORT, JANUARY 1995