BituMeN ProductioN
company
project
Start-up
current production
capacity (bbl/d)
Q1/2010 average
production (bbl/d)
number of wells actually producing or injecting/
capable of production or injection
(Q1/2010 average)
C YCLIC S TEAM S TIMULATION PROJEC TS
imperial oil cold lake 1985 140,000 150,605 3,198/4,445
canadian natural
resources primrose/ Wolf lake 1985 120,000 74,728 720/917
SOURCE: COMPANy DISCLOSURE, ENERGy RESOURCES CONSERVATION BOARD
Shell canada peace river 1986 12,500 8,165 80/115
north peace enegy red earth 2008 1,000 38 1/2
S TEAM ASSIS TED GRAVI T Y DRAINAGE PROJEC TS
cenovus energy Foster creek 2001 110,000 102,459 301/331
Suncor energy Firebag 2004 93,000 55,564 79/81
nexen long lake 2007 72,000 18,598 155/182
Devon canada Jackfish 1 2007 35,000 22,821 56/56
Suncor energy mac Kay river 2002 33,000 31,802 112/116
husky energy tucker 2006 30,000 4,222 72/77
conocophillips canada Surmont 2007 27,000 17,371 49/55
meg energy christina lake phase 1 2009 22,000 10,167 48/58
cenovus energy christina lake 2002 18,800 14,020 29/29
connacher oil & Gas Great Divide 2007 10,000 7,004 34/34
Japan canada oil Sands hangingstone 1999 10,000 7,136 38/40
Shell canada orion 2008 10,000 2,552 41/42
meg energy christina lake pilot 2008 3,000 3,134 n/q
oilsands projects, whether in situ or mining, are very difficult to turn on and off. raymond James notes that in situ projects seem to need about two years to hit steady-state production. even given
that, a number of projects have yet to come close to reaching capacity.
steAM usAge
company
project
Q1/2010 average
steam: oil ratio
Q1/2010 average
water: steam ratio
Q1/2010 water
production average
(bbl/d)
Q1/2010 steam injection
average (bbl/d)
C YCLIC S TEAM S TIMULATION PROJEC TS
imperial oil cold lake
Shell canada peace river
canadian natural
resources
primrose/ Wolf lake
north peace enegy red earth 0
S TEAM ASSIS TED GRAVI T Y DRAINAGE PROJEC TS
cenovus energy Foster creek
cenovus energy christina lake
Suncor energy mac Kay river
Devon canada Jackfish 1
conocophillips canada Surmont
Suncor energy Firebag
meg energy christina lake phase 1
connacher oil & Gas Great Divide
Japan canada oil Sands hangingstone
nexen long lake
Shell canada orion
husky energy tucker
meg energy christina lake pilot
3.49:1
4.17:1
4.74:1
0.95:1
0.76:1
0.76:1
501,170
24,554
254,405
525,598
33,852
337,631
0
148
0
2.27:1
2.29:1
2.38:1
2.54:1
2.75:1
3.08:1
3.39:1
3.61:1
3.88:1
6.01:1
6.24:1
8.97:1
n/q
0.96:1
1.0:1
0.93:1
1.03:1
0.89:1
0.96:1
0.74:1
1.05:1
0.98:1
0.88:1
1.0:1
0.97:1
n/q
223,933
32,128
69,937
71,166
42,327
164,762
6,627
26,421
27,177
98,205
15,855
35,871
24,813
233,069
32,144
75,544
69,162
47,790
171,256
33,424
25,266
27,682
111,448
15,889
37,293
7,683
SOURCE: ENERGy RESOURCES CONSERVATION BOARD
right now, without steam injection there is no commercial non-primary bitumen production, so its handling and use is of great significance. the steam to oil ratio (Sor) is a central project
performance indicator, and raymond James also notes that while almost every project has a stated target Sor of 3:1, most have yet to reach it.
