SAGD water process

Process example:

2.5 barrels of non-drinking water are turned into steam to produce 1 barrel of bitumen.

Water from the steam is recovered from the reservoir along with the bitumen. A small amount of water is retained.

The water is treated. We aim to recycle and reuse 90% of this water (2.25 barrels).

Approximately 10% of the water used (0.25 barrels) can not be recycled and is disposed.

We replace the disposed water with non-drinking water.

Drinking water comes from surface water (lakes, streams) and freshwater channels near the ground surface. We obtain our water for SAGD at Surmont much deeper, from either a layer of sand called the Grand Rapids Sand, or the Clearwater formation. This water is not drinking water. Based on a 90% recycle rate that we aim for, we lose 0.25 barrels of water for each barrel of bitumen were producing. This compares to an average of two barrels of water for each barrel of upgraded bitumen in the mining process. The 10%, or 0.25 barrels we cant recycle, we dispose of deep into a well in the Lower McMurray formation, over 400m below the surface. We then draw 0.25 barrels of water from the Grand Rapids Sand or the Clearwater formation to replace the water weve disposed, and the process begins again.

Water usage is highly regulated -- in amount and in salinity. We are focusing on using water with high salinity.