Ivanhoe Energy to Test Heavy Oil Upgrading Facility
Ivanhoe Energy's CDF is being prepared for a series of test runs that will demonstrate the processing of Athabasca bitumen and vacuum tower bottoms (VTB's) in a "High Quality" configuration. This configuration, appropriate for numerous resource opportunities around the world, including the Athabasca oil sands in Western Canada, produces a more fully upgraded product, as well as maximum amounts of by-product energy.
In order to carry out these runs, a number of upgrades and enhancements to the CDF were required. These upgrades were primarily related to peripheral equipment linked to the handling of raw feed and the processed product, as well as equipment redundancy and back-up for more extended runs.
These upgrades were originally expected to take 4-6 weeks. As a result of the extremely tight markets in the industry for oilfield personnel and equipment and additional minor improvements that extended the original timeline, the company has experienced some delay and now anticipates commencing the next set of runs in late May. Athabasca bitumen has been shipped from Western Canada and is currently at the CDF in onsite storage ready for processing.
The data from upcoming runs will allow Ivanhoe Energy to initiate the site-specific design and engineering for full commercial 10,000 to 15,000 barrel-per-day plants.
Ivanhoe said that its heavy oil upgrading technology produces lighter, more valuable crude oil at lower costs and in smaller-sized plants than conventional technologies. The technology addresses the four key challenges to heavy oil development:
- the facilities can be field-located and effective at a scale as low as 10,000 to 15,000 barrels per day; - the value of the upgraded heavy oil is substantially increased; - the viscosity of the upgraded product is dramatically reduced, allowing it to be transported by pipeline without the need for blend oils; and - significant amounts of by-product energy are produced, as an on-site source for the production of the steam and/or power needed in heavy oil recovery.
- Blockchain Demands Attention in Oil and Gas
- Macquarie Sees USA Oil Production Exiting 2024 at 14MM Barrels Per Day
- CNPC Opens Sea-Land Oil Storage and Transport Facility in Bangladesh
- Oman Sees Increasing Ship-to-Ship Transfers of Russian Oil Bound for India
- US Govt Makes Record Investment of $6B for Industrial Decarbonization
- Perenco Still Searching for Missing Person After Platform Incident
- Eni, Fincantieri, RINA Ink Deal on Maritime Decarbonization
- Oil Falls as US Inventories Increase
- Czech Utility CEZ Bucks Weaker Prices, Demand to Log Record Annual Profit
- Ithaca Energy Studies Deal for Eni's UK Upstream Assets
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call
- India Halts Russia Oil Supplies From Sanctioned Tanker Giant
- DOI Announces Proposal for Second GOM Offshore Wind Auction
- Centcom, Dryad Outline Recent Moves Around Red Sea Region
- PetroChina Set to Receive Venezuelan Oil
- Czech Conglomerate to Buy Major Stake in Gasnet for $917MM
- US DOE Offers $44MM in Funding to Boost Clean Power Distribution
- Oil Settles Lower as Stronger Dollar Offsets Tighter Market
- UK Grid Operator Receives Aid to Advance Rural Decarbonization
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Another Major Oilfield Discovery
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call