<DrumBeat: June 20, 2006 The Oil Drum DrumBeat: June 21, 2006>

80 comments on Oh, Canada! -- Natural Gas and the Future of Tar Sands Production

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Sam Foucher on June 20, 2006 - 3:48pm Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
Excellent post! too bad you did not mention the THAI process which look promising.

A few images:

Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD)

Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS)

Toe to Heel Air Injection (THAI)

src: oilsands.infomine.com

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xironman on June 20, 2006 - 4:20pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Has anyone actually used this process in a commercial operation?  Seems kind of experimental at this point.  Although I know it is not possible in the case of tar sands, just the thought of this kind of production brings Centralia to my mind.
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WKO on June 20, 2006 - 10:18pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
THAI is still an experimental technology. Petrobank Energy Inc. has patents on the technology and is currently conducting a trial at its Whitesands facilities. The trial is in a pre-warming stage, with ignition expected within weeks. How well THAI works should be known by the end of this summer.
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rwmcalister on June 20, 2006 - 6:59pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Are these procedures usable for tar sands or only heavy oil?  I had always read that tar sands had to be mined, crushed, steamed, etc. but that it doesn't occur in place.
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80 comments on Oh, Canada! -- Natural Gas and the Future of Tar Sands Production

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