Blocks

The Centre’s goal is to develop processes that yield value-added products in an environmentally sustainable way, primarily in the form of upgraded oils. It is anticipated there will be significant improvement in energy efficiency resulting in substantially reduced greenhouse gas emission coupled with an elimination in water treat and fresh water make up volumes. In the longer term, these value-added products could include high-energy clean fuels, such as methane or even hydrogen.

Members can learn more about each project by following the links below.

Catalyst Design, Kinetics and Recovery

Incorporation of ultra-dispersed catalysts directly in the reservoir is a major research target for the Centre. This includes investigation of nano-sized particles/agents for use as catalysts, adsorbents or reagents, and their partial recovery for regeneration and reuse. Ultra-dispersed catalyst development, manufacture and process demonstration for in situ application will generate substantially higher-quality petroleum in situ, and reduce the amount of energy used for recovery and upgrading.

Integrated Recovery and Upgrading Processes

The Centre is focused on evaluating recovery processes using a versatile array of small pilot plants to test multiple hybrid processing concepts in situ, with continuous delivery of dispersed catalysts, adsorbents and reactants. Field test demonstrations will be conducted on potentially viable technologies. This research approach builds on current in situ production technologies (SAGD), where a relatively confined chamber is developed along the length of the production wells that could be used as the “reactor” for in situ upgrading and processing.

Bitumen and Reservoir Characterization and Simulation

The Centre is focused on developing methods and technologies for continuous analysis and characterization of the initial virgin and converted bitumen, including a comprehensive monitoring protocol of the structural modifications of bitumen macromolecules. This will assist in predicting bitumen reactivity and fluid properties, and in assessing process reactivity. Increasing our knowledge of the chemical nature, reactivity patterns, and the physical/chemical properties of the constituent molecules is essential to support the recovery and selective enhancement of the bitumen properties.

The Centre is developing real-time process-control technologies using engineering, geochemical and geophysical monitoring techniques. These technologies will comprise the basic instrumentation for the in situ or “in-reservoir” refinery. The aim is to improve the production process by achieving more control of the process, including being able to predict fluid and rock composition and physical properties across large heterogeneous bitumen reservoirs.

The Centre is focused on developing a fully constrained (i.e. accurately simulating in-reservoir conditions), integrated reactive simulation of heavy oil and oil sands reservoirs. This is essential to the intelligent process management of in situ upgrading.

Reactant and Catalyst Transport

An essential requirement for in situ upgrading is to bring the bitumen, the dispersed catalyst and all other reactants together in the reservoir at elevated temperature and pressure.  This in turn requires transport of the reactants and the catalyst deep into the reservoir.

The centre is evaluating various options for delivering the dispersed catalysts to the reaction zone.  Propagation behavior of ultra-dispersed catalysts is being investigated.  Ways of supplying other reactants to the reaction zone are also being examined.