BITUMEN & VERY HEAVY CRUDE UPGRADING TECHNOLOGY

The Alberta Chamber of Resources has recently published the “Oil Sands Technology Roadmap: Unlocking the Potential”. Other recent studies by the Alberta Energy Research Institute and the Cleaner Hydrocarbons Technology Futures Group have also addressed oil sands bitumen upgrading technology development needs. This report expands on these initiatives, and outlines opportunities for stable long term research and development, with a special emphasis on the role of publicly funded research to the year 2010. This includes pre-competitive R&D that should be considered for joint industry and government funding. The report also assesses the potential for greenhouse gas mitigation through new technology.

March 31, 2004

LENEF Consulting

(1994)

Limited

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by NRCan, and through work-in-kind by Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI).