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The FACTS about ALBERTA OILSANDS

The FACTS about ALBERTA OILSANDS Source: Calgary Herald Photo – Oct.21/05 Presentation Prepared By: Tony Yep - July/2006 This presentation has been compiled using the data and information available from: The Calgary Herald Newspaper - Five Part Series in Oct/05 or Alberta’s Oilsands

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The FACTS about ALBERTA OILSANDS

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  1. The FACTS about ALBERTA OILSANDS Source: Calgary Herald Photo – Oct.21/05 Presentation Prepared By: Tony Yep - July/2006

  2. This presentation has been compiled using the data and information available from: • The Calgary Herald Newspaper • - Five Part Series in Oct/05 or Alberta’s Oilsands • - Alberta’s Centennial Series, Issue 4, “Black Gold” (Oct 2/05) • - Other Articles • Global Oil Consumption and Production Data from the Internet (www.NationsMaster.com) • 3. US News & World Report – Article “The Oil Rush” Apr. 24/06 • 4. Bantrel Project Data ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  3. TOTAL 1103 Source: Calgary Herald – Our Alberta, Issue 4, “Black Gold” – Oct.2/05

  4. Other Relevant Facts • In 2003, the US Energy Information Administration formally recognized the oilsands as a viable supply source. • Currently, 175 billion barrels are proven reserves. As technology evolves, this number may increase to over 300 billion. • The total provincial oilsands deposit is estimated at over 1.7 trillion barrels. • Only 20% of the oilsands deposits in the Athabasca region are close enough to the surface to be mined. The rest must be recovered by underground methods. • In the last 40 years, only 4.6 billion barrels have been extracted. The 175 billion barrels of reserves are virtually untapped. • Alberta has over $80 billion worth of projects in the next decade to bring total daily oilsands production rate to over 3 million bpd. Source: Calgary Herald Photo – Oct.21/05

  5. ALBERTA HAS THE MAJORITY OF THE OILSANDS DEPOSITS(The Athabasca Oilsands cover an area equal in size to New Brunswick – about 80,000 sq. km.) Source: Calgary Herald – Our Alberta, Issue 4, “Black Gold” – Oct.2/05

  6. 1. DIGGING IT OUT Mining shovels dig into the oilsand and load it onto huge trucks. The trucks carry the oilsand to crushers. OPEN PIT OILSANDS MINING 2. CONDITIONING AND HYDROTRANSPORTING The oilsand is broken up in crushers and coarse material is removed. Hot water is added to the oilsands. The resulting slurry is fed via hydro-transport pipeline to the extraction plant. Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  7. 3. PRIMARY EXTRACTION The mixture of oil, sand and water goes to a primary separation vessel. Thick bitumen froth forms at the top of the vessel; this is skimmed off. Clean sand sinks to the bottom; it’s sent back to the mine by pipeline to fill in mined-out areas. Water from the extraction process, OPEN PIT OILSANDS MINING still containing residual sand, clay and traces of bitumen, is known as tailings. The tailings are pumped to holding ponds and treated. • SECONDARY EXTRACTION • The bitumen is cleared by removing fine clay particles and water. Still thick, the bitumen is diluted with naphtha, then stored in holding tanks and delivered to upgrading for processing. Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  8. 5. UPGRADING Upgrading converts bitumen into a lighter, less dense product, using heat to “crack” big molecules into smaller fragments. First, naphtha is removed and recycled. Next, upgrading usually follows this process: The bitumen is sent to drums where petroleum coke, the heavy bottom material, is removed. Coke, similar to coal, can be used as a fuel source elsewhere, or stockpiled and sold. Hydrocracking may also be used to add OPEN PIT OILSANDS MINING hydrogen and break up molecules. Hydrocarbon vapours are stabilized and sent to fractionators where they are separated into marketable products such as naphtha, kerosene and gas oil. Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  9. SULPHUR REMOVAL • Sulphur can be removed by hydrotreating, stockpiled and sold for fertilizer or other products. • STORED AND SHIPPED • The petroleum liquids are kept in separate storage tanks on site until they are ready to be blended and shipped down the pipeline for refining. OPEN PIT OILSANDS MINING Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  10. STEAM ASSISTED GRAVITY DRAINAGE (SAGD) In the most popular in-situ method, two horizontal wells are drilled in parallel through the oil-bearing formation. Steam is injected into the upper well, heating and softening the bitumen. The lower horizontal well captures the bitumen then pumps it to the surface. The recovered bitumen is sent by pipeline to be upgraded. IN-GROUND OIL RECOVERY Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  11. CYCLIC STEAM STIMULATION (CSS) Also known as “huff and puff” technology, this process requires just one well bore. Steam is injected for several weeks, mobilizing the cold bitumen. Then the flow on the injection well is reversed, producing oil through the same bore. Steam is re-injected to begin a new cycle when oil production falls below a critical threshold. IN-GROUND OIL RECOVERY Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  12. TOE-TO-HEEL AIR INJECTION (THAI) The process combines a vertical air injection well with a horizontal production well. The wells are pre-heated with steam. When air is injected, spontaneous combustion occurs. Heat loosens the oil, allowing it to flow by gravity to the horizontal production well. The combustion front sweeps the oil from the toe to the heel of the producing well. IN-GROUND OIL RECOVERY Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  13. IN-GROUND OIL RECOVERY VAPOUR EXTRACTION PROCESS (VAPEX) This experimental method is similar to SAGD. But instead of steam, solvents such as ethane or propane are injected into the oilsands, producing a thinner bitumen and creating a vapour chamber through which the oil flows as it drains. It can be applied in paired horizontal wells, single horizontal wells or a combination. Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.23/05

  14. Canada produced: • 2005 2.5 million bpd (Oilsands & Conventional Oil) • 2015 Expect to be 3.5 million bpd • Oilsands Only • Last 40 yrs, extracted only 4.6 billion barrels • 2005 1 million bpd • 2015 Expect to be 3 million bpd Source: Calgary Herald – Our Alberta, Issue 4, “Black Gold” – Oct.2/05

  15. KEY PLAYERS IN THE ATHABASCA OILSANDS Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oil Sands - October 22, 2005 & June 30, 2006

  16. Note: The Operating cost looks at the basic cost of extracting bitumen from oilsands. The Supply cost include other costs such as capital and operating expenses, taxes and royalties. WHAT DOES IT COST TO PRODUCE? National Energy Board Data Source: Calgary Herald Article on Oilsands – Oct.21/05

  17. World Oil Consumption 80 million bpd 120 million bpd 2005 2025 37.8 yrs 25 yrs If China and India increase the consumption to 120 mbpd, this will not be sustainable in the long run. More energy reserves/sources will need to be found. Note: At 20 mbpd consumption, United States at 4.6% of the world population is consuming 25% of the oil production. SCARY THOUGHTS

  18. OIL CONSUMPTION / PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY2005 DATA (BASED ON 80 MBPD TOTAL) Source: CIA World Fact Book Jan.10/05 Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2005 www.NationMaster.com website www.NationMaster.com website

  19. Given this supply and demand scenario, what do you think? In Alberta, if the price of oil remains above $40 US/barrel, all existing facilities will expand, and planned new projects will go ahead. Question Do you think oil will fall to below $40 US/Barrel? SCARY THOUGHTS

  20. It takes two tonnes of oilsands to make one barrel (159 litres) of oil. • The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) estimates 41 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, or 8 years of reserves at current consumption rates. • Coalbed methane is now a viable alternative source for natural gas. Technology can access these unconventional gas reserves estimated to be more than 500 trillion cubic feet. • Alberta has more than 1,000 years of coal supply. • Synthetic oil can be created from coal using improved Fisher – Tropsch synthesis. Coal → gas → paraffin wax → diesel fuel. This process is deemed to be viable at $45 US/barrel and above. SOME OTHER INTERESTING ENERGY INFORMATION Source: Calgary Herald – Our Alberta, Issue 4, Oct.2/05 and US News & World Report – “The Oil Rush” Apr. 24/06

  21. United States has tremendous oil shale potential in the 16,000 sq.mi. Green River Formation in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming where 800 billion barrels of oil are estimated to be recoverable if the right technologies can be found. • Biggest environmental issue for all unconventional oil and energy sources is spikes in greenhouse gas emissions. • 3000 – Estimated number of products made from crude oil including inks, crayons, bubblegum, plastics, dishwashing liquids, deodorants, eyeglasses, tires, ammonia and heart valves. SOME OTHER INTERESTING ENERGY INFORMATION Source: Calgary Herald – Our Alberta, Issue 4, Oct.2/05 and US News & World Report – “The Oil Rush” Apr. 24/06

  22. DOES ALBERTA SHARE ITS WEALTH WITH THE REST OF CANADA ? Based on the CERI data, a resounding YES! Alberta has a little more than one-third share. Is this fair? What is good for Alberta is good for Canada and the other provinces. Source: Calgary Herald article– Oct.25/05

  23. THANKS ! ANY QUESTIONS? P.S. I don’t ever complain about the price of gas!

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