Grant: Industrial Research Chairs
University of Alberta
$170,900.00
NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Unconventional Oil Recovery
EF 2020-21
Résumé
Oil and natural gas are the largest natural energy resources in Alberta and Canada. Currently, Alberta produces
70% of Canada's oil and 80% of its natural gas. The extraction and revenue from oil and natural gas is an
imperative component of the Alberta economy as one-third of the Alberta Government's revenue is generated
from oil and gas. As the demand and use for oil and gas increases globally and furthermore as oil prices
reached its lowest values, efficient recovery and extraction of heavy-oil and bitumen has become a priority for
the government, the oil industry, research centres and universities - especially the University of Alberta.
The proposed NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Unconventional Oil Recovery is a major research initiative
undertaken by the University of Alberta in response to developing ecologically viable technologies for
extracting or tapping unconventional oil reserves and resources. For the most part, the oil industry has been
technologically unprepared to meet the high demands of heavy oil and bitumen production and consumption
needs. With Alberta having the second largest hydrocarbon reserves in the world (after Saudi Arabia's
conventional oil reserves) that are estimated at 1.7 trillion barrels, currently only 10% of these reserves (173
billion barrels) is recoverable using existing technologies.
Heavy-oil and bitumen reserves deposited below minable depths require in-situ recovery techniques. These
lower-lying resources have considerably more potential than extractable oil sands. Only 15% of these oil
reserves can be mined using existing techniques - leaving 85% of oil reserves untouched. While proven
technologies are successfully applied for surface extraction of mined oil sands, in-situ recovery of heavy-oil
and bitumen is still a considerable challenge due to the technological and economic problems. Through
development of advanced and optimal in-situ recovery techniques under this proposed research program, the
potential to recover 85% of these reserves exists.
Programme
Industrial Research Chairs
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Alberta, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
Tel que publié
Application id
419919-2015
Name nom
Babadagli, Tayfun
Department département
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Organization id
9
Institution établissement
University of Alberta
Province en
Alberta
Province fr
Alberta
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2020
Competition year année de concours
2015
Award amount
170900
Program id
IRCPJ
Program name en
Industrial Research Chairs
Program name fr
Professeurs-chercheurs industriels
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
301
Area of application group en
Energy resources
Area of application group fr
Ressources d'énergie
Area of application en
Oil, gas and coal
Area of application fr
Pétrole, gaz et charbon
Research subject code
2302
Research subject group en
Fuel and energy technology
Research subject group fr
Combustibles et technologie de l'énergie
Research subject en
Petroleum engineering, oil and gas recovery
Research subject fr
Génie du pétrole, récupération du pétrole et du gaz
Installment
inst:10 - 10
Partie
1
Nb partie
10
Application title
NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Unconventional Oil Recovery
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Oil and natural gas are the largest natural energy resources in Alberta and Canada. Currently, Alberta produces
70% of Canada's oil and 80% of its natural gas. The extraction and revenue from oil and natural gas is an
imperative component of the Alberta economy as one-third of the Alberta Government's revenue is generated
from oil and gas. As the demand and use for oil and gas increases globally and furthermore as oil prices
reached its lowest values, efficient recovery and extraction of heavy-oil and bitumen has become a priority for
the government, the oil industry, research centres and universities - especially the University of Alberta.
The proposed NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Unconventional Oil Recovery is a major research initiative
undertaken by the University of Alberta in response to developing ecologically viable technologies for
extracting or tapping unconventional oil reserves and resources. For the most part, the oil industry has been
technologically unprepared to meet the high demands of heavy oil and bitumen production and consumption
needs. With Alberta having the second largest hydrocarbon reserves in the world (after Saudi Arabia's
conventional oil reserves) that are estimated at 1.7 trillion barrels, currently only 10% of these reserves (173
billion barrels) is recoverable using existing technologies.
Heavy-oil and bitumen reserves deposited below minable depths require in-situ recovery techniques. These
lower-lying resources have considerably more potential than extractable oil sands. Only 15% of these oil
reserves can be mined using existing techniques - leaving 85% of oil reserves untouched. While proven
technologies are successfully applied for surface extraction of mined oil sands, in-situ recovery of heavy-oil
and bitumen is still a considerable challenge due to the technological and economic problems. Through
development of advanced and optimal in-situ recovery techniques under this proposed research program, the
potential to recover 85% of these reserves exists.
