Heavy Oil Properties and Processing

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Canadian oil sands and heavy oil deposits are a huge resource for Canada with currently recoverable reserves estimated at 27 billion cubic meters, placing it second only to Saudi Arabia. There are considerable technical challenges to developing these resources economically while minimizing the environmental impact. Engineers require reliable fluid property and phase behaviour data and models to meet these challenges. The overall goal of the Heavy Oil Properties and Processing research program is to provide the fluid property and phase behaviour data and models for the conditions encountered in the recovery and processing of heavy oils and bitumens. This proposal builds on the results from a prior Industrial Research Chair program to address four critical gaps in our knowledge of heavy oil: 1) the phase behaviour and physical properties of heavy oil, solvent, and steam above 200°C; 2) the dynamic behaviour in gravity drainage of solvent/steam in porous media at reservoir conditions; 3) the stability and properties of heavy oils that have been both visbroken and partially deasphalted; 4) the source of stability and effect of shear on water-in-oil emulsions in oil sands extraction processes. The program will also provide training for five graduate students to meet the need for HQP in an increasingly technically demanding industry. The data, models, fundamental understanding, and trained personnel to be gained in these four areas are required to enable the development of existing and novel in situ and mining processes. The potential benefits to Canada are unlocking billions of dollars of value in increased recovery and transport capacity of heavy oil and bitumen at a lower environmental impact.