Cyclic Steam Stimulation

How high pressure CSS works

Steam Injection phase

    1. Steam is injected at high pressure into oil sand formation for several weeks
    2. Steam heats bitumen (reduces viscosity)
    3. High steam injection pressures create fissures in formation thereby maximizing bitumen contact and production

Production phase

    1. Steam injection is stopped and heat dissipates in reservoir (soak)
    2. Well produced for several months until temperature and production rates decline

Steaming and production cycle is repeated

CSSWhy CSS?

  • Robust commercially proven technology
  • Depositional environment is that of a coarsening up sequence with improved permeability & oil quality towards top of reservoir
  • Thin discontinuous minor clay laminations inhibit vertical flow paths, CSS pierces through these
  • Absence of thief zones
  • Thick continuous capping shale (45m+)
  • Comparable commercial producing analogue at CNRL’s Primrose South CSS project
  • The right recovery method for our resource

Companies currently using CSS commercially in Alberta:
Imperial Oil (Cold Lake) – 140 mbbl/d (CSS)
Shell Canada (Peace River) – 12 mbbl/d (CSS)
CNRL (Primrose, Wolf Lake) – 80 mbbl/d (approx. 90% CSS, 10% SAGD)