Development of geochemical approaches to monitor the fate, transport, and retention of CO2 in steam-assisted gravity drainage reservoirs in the Canadian oil sands

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Suncor Energy is a global leader in the recovery of bitumen from the Canadian oil sands using Steam AssistedGravity Drainage (SAGD) technology. Steam injection techniques are effective for oil extraction from bitumen;however, the process is energy intensive as relatively high steam to oil ratios (SOR) are still regarded as verygood in the Athabasca oil sands (less than 3 m3/m3). Technological advancements that decrease SOR wouldlead to significant cost savings in oil recovery, reductions in energy use, and decreases in greenhouse gasemissions (GHGs). Limited information is available on the impacts of CO2 on bitumen recovery. CO2concentrations are impacted by natural production of CO2 as a result of the SAGD process. Multiple CO2sources complicate the quantification and identification of the fate, transport, and retention of CO2 in a SAGDreservoir. The proposal seeks to develop geochemical techniques to achieve a more complete understanding ofthe volumes and migration pathways of CO2 in the reservoir, a key parameter needed to accurately assess theimpacts of CO2 on bitumen recovery, energy use, and GHG emissions.