INVITED SPEAKER

The In Situ Technology Horizon

Mr. Neil Edmunds
Laricina Energy Ltd., Canada

Duration

40 minutes

Abstract

Oil sands engineers now speak of bitumen recovery by SAGD in the McMurray Formation as “conventional”, even though the technology is still evolving. On the horizon, are new technologies and new reservoirs. Of the latter, the Grosmont Formation, containing about 400 billion bbls in highly karsted dolomite, is prominent. There is also renewed attention to the Grand Rapids and Bluesky Formations as thermal targets, and further carbonate plays.
On the technology side, solvent additives to steam have arrived on a commercial basis, and solvent applications are expected to continue to evolve and expand. In situ combustion processes, also in the field testing stage, have their unique challenges but are likely to see commercial application at least as a SAGD follow-up method. Further out, several parties are now investigating possible applications of selective electromagnetic heating of reservoirs.
Finally, there are a number of possible approaches to mild field upgrading which could significantly improve economics by reducing the requirement for transport diluent to meet pipeline specifications. Mild hydrocracking and mechanical shear treatment, are two of the more promising possibilities.

Biography of the Invited Speaker

Neil Edmunds is Vice President, EOR for Laricina Energy Ltd. Previously he was a reservoir specialist with AEC/EnCana, responsible for Vapex piloting and SAGD optimization. He has over 30 years of experience in thermal recovery and related software development, participating in the UTF, Senlac, and Foster Creek SAGD projects. Neil is a graduate of the U of A (Mech. Eng.) and is a member of APEGGA, the Canadian Heavy Oil Association, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers. In 2008 he was appointed Adjunct Associate Professor in the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary.