Evaluation of alternative energy sources for SAGD operation

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Discoveries of conventional sources of hydrocarbons are becoming less frequent while the rate of extraction is increasing. Therefore, unconventional oil reserves like oil sands are becoming more important. For deposits between 70 and 800 meters below ground surface, bitumen is recovered by in-situ methods. In-situ technology separates the bitumen from the sands underground by using thermal energy to reduce bitumen viscosity so that it can be transported to the surface. The most commonly applied in-situ recovery technology is Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). Natural gas is used as the primary energy source to heat water to steam for injection in SAGD operations. The low cost and current abundance of natural gas makes it an economical choice for oil sands operators. However, the "Carbon Footprint" associated with SAGD production is considerably higher than other bitumen and crude production methods. Our group has explored several alternative energy sources for SAGD operations. We examined geothermal, hydro, solar, wind, and biomass based power sources. Biomass based alternative energy was the most feasible with lower fuel costs and higher processing costs than natural gas. The objective of this study is to develop an in-depth analysis of the potential for using biomass as a fuel source to complement or supplant the use of natural gas at Suncor's Firebag site. A secondary objective is to determine whether algae can be a viable source of biomass energy as compared with (a) straw, (b) woodland biomass, and (c) waste wood from forest operations. The proposed research is directly relevant to Suncor's operations as they seek to lower fuel costs and develop green technology for oil production.