Grants and Contributions:

Title:

Development of geochemical approaches to monitor the fate, transport, and retention of CO2 in_x000D_ steam-assisted gravity drainage reservoirs in the Canadian oil sands

Agreement Number:

EGP

Agreement Value:

$25,000.00

Agreement Date:

Jan 10, 2018 -

Organization:

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Location:

Ontario, CA

Reference Number:

GC-2017-Q4-01317

Agreement Type:

Grant

Report Type:

Grants and Contributions

Additional Information:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Recipient's Legal Name:

Mundle, Scott (University of Windsor)

Program:

Engage Grants for universities

Program Purpose:

Suncor Energy is a global leader in the recovery of bitumen from the Canadian oil sands using Steam Assistedx000D
Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology. Steam injection techniques are effective for oil extraction from bitumen;x000D
however, the process is energy intensive as relatively high steam to oil ratios (SOR) are still regarded as veryx000D
good in the Athabasca oil sands (less than 3 m3/m3). Technological advancements that decrease SOR wouldx000D
lead to significant cost savings in oil recovery, reductions in energy use, and decreases in greenhouse gasx000D
emissions (GHGs). Limited information is available on the impacts of CO2 on bitumen recovery. CO2x000D
concentrations are impacted by natural production of CO2 as a result of the SAGD process. Multiple CO2x000D
sources complicate the quantification and identification of the fate, transport, and retention of CO2 in a SAGDx000D
reservoir. The proposal seeks to develop geochemical techniques to achieve a more complete understanding ofx000D
the volumes and migration pathways of CO2 in the reservoir, a key parameter needed to accurately assess thex000D
impacts of CO2 on bitumen recovery, energy use, and GHG emissions.