March 2011
Welcome
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HOT
World Reserves
Conventional
Oil - 30%
Heavy Oil
15%
Extra Heavy
and Bitumen
55%
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HOT
Alaska
Historical light oil focus
Russia
Decades of heavy oil
experimentation but
continued focus on light oil
Barrels OOIP
~1 billion
~10 billion
~100 billion
California
Cradle of Heavy
Oil Technology
In twilight period
UK
Canada
Netherlands
Italy
USA
Lower
48
Venezuela
Brazil
Venezuela
Conventional approach to
easiest Heavy Oil
Business climate not inciting
innovation and
experimentation
Nigeria
Saudi
Arabia
China
India
Oman
Angola
Indonesia
Madagascar
Australia
Argentina
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Egypt
Egypt
Trinidad
>1 trillion
E. Europe
Turkey
Jordan
Kuwait
Mexico
Ecuador
Colombia
Peru
Russia
HOT
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HOT
40
Canadian Syn-crude
33
Arab Light
32
Alaska NS Crude
29
Arab Heavy
27
Alaska Viscous
16 to 24
Alaska Heavy
8 to 14
Water
10
Venezuela (Orinoco )
10
Canadian Lloydminster
9 to 18
Canadian Athabasca
6 to 10
Light
Medium
Heavy
Extra Heavy
Gravity Viscosity
The term Heavy Oil is a
reference to the high density
(API Gravity) of those oils.
The measurement that we care
most about today is viscosity
since that is the property
which governs well
productivity. Viscosity is not
synonymous with Gravity.
There is a positive, but very
loose correlation between
gravity and viscosity that is
specific to a given oilfield - but
any quantitative transform
from API Gravity to Viscosity
is a rough approximation at
best and there are no
transforms or rules of thumb
for oils in general.
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API Definition
HOT
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Viscosity
Crude Oils
Viscosity
(centipoise)
108
Tar,
Bitumen
Extra
Heavy Oil
Alaska
Heavy Oil
Viscous Oil
Light Oil
107
Familiar
substances
Window putty
Caulk
Vegetable shortening
106
105
Peanut butter
Tomato ketchup
104
Molasses
103
Honey
102
Maple syrup
10
Corn oil
Water
Temperature/Viscosity Relationship
for several oil samples
Viscosity reduction
Heat
Dilution (Diluent)
Low
Temperature
High
Low
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Viscosity
High
HOT
1st Epiphany:
Heavy oil is linked
to light oil
by
Diluent
2nd Epiphany:
Given that linkage,
we need to
figure out heavy oil
NOW - not after
light oil
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HOT
Mostly
Developed
Starting
to Develop
Potential
Future development
2,000
ce
uen
q
e
nt s
me
p
o
l
e
Dev
Depth (ft)
4,000
Ugnu
6,000
Kuparuk
8,000
Prudhoe
10,000
Light Oil
Viscous Oil
(like water)
Heavy Oil
(like syrup)
(like honey)
12,000
0
10
100
1,000
10,000
100,000
1,000,000
The term Viscous Oil is a home grown, Alaska term. You wont find it defined in the literature or used outside of Alaska.
What we term Viscous Oil in Alaska is referred to as Heavy Oil in the industry.
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11
HOT
Milne Pt.
Beaufort Sea
Northstar
Pt. McIntyre
Niakuk
Endicott
Kuparuk
Prudhoe
Bay
Liberty
Pt. Thompson
Badami
Tarn
Light Oil Production
Meltwater
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HOT
A
Temperature
0oC
8 10 API
10 - 12 API
(20,000 1,000 cp)
11oC
12 - 14 API
27oC
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Alaska Heavy
Oil Type Log
GR
Ft. Res.
Ugnu (Heavy)
1,000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
3rd Epiphany:
100
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14
HOT
4th Epiphany:
Other people
are making
this work !
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Horizontal Wells
Maximum
reservoir
contact
Piloting at S-Pad
HORIZONTAL PRODUCTION PROFILES
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CHOPS Elements
Unconsolidated rocks
PCP Pump
Surface Drive
Heated Separation Tank
Sand Disposal
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Recovery Methods
Prudhoe
Milne Point
Kuparuk
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COLD &/or
THERMAL
THERMAL
(>20,000 cP)?
COLD
(<20,000 cP)?
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5th Epiphany:
Heavy oil is unlikely
ever to be more
economic than
light oil
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Canadian Design
Single well tank battery
22
Alaska Design
Safety & environmental constraints
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Milne
Point
Unit
Kuparuk
Unit
Prudhoe Bay
Unit
Separation Tanks
Heavy Oil
Tie-Ins
Heavy Oil Wells
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Flare
Process Module
Light Oil Well
Row
Separation Tanks
Heater
Electrical Control Module
25
Heavy Oil
Tie-Ins
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S-Pad Pilot
Present
High
Plan
Future
Time Frame
Very High
Options
Vision
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Commercial
Demonstration
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