The Athabasca Oil Sands Project: The Commercial Application of Innovations in Technology

Presenter: William J Power, Shell Canada Limited, Calgary, AB, Canada

The Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP) is the first fully integrated surface mined oil sands development to be brought on-stream in three decades. At full production, it will supply 10% of Canada’s energy needs for more than 25 years. The mine, north of Fort McMurray, AB, consists of open pit mining, extraction and froth treatment facilities, while the upgrader is located at Fort Saskatchewan, AB. The two are connected by dedicated pipelines carrying dilute bitumen and return diluent. The two facilities have been in full operation since mid-2003 and are designed to produce and upgrade 155 kBPD of bitumen.

The project incorporates a number of innovative technology applications for the oil sands industry. Most notable, and likely of most interest to this audience, is the first commercial use of the paraffinic froth treatment process. This process provides partial upgrading by precipitating asphaltenes, and produces a bitumen product that is low in water and solids content, compared to the conventional naphtha-based froth treatment technology. This improved product quality allows greater flexibility and performance benefits in upgrading the produced bitumen.

This presentation will provide an overview of the Athabasca Oil sands Project, highlighting the more novel technology features. As well, the advantages of the paraffinic froth treatment process will be discussed. The development process, which led to the relatively rapid commercialization from initial laboratory observations through commercial start-up and beyond, will also be reviewed.