Project Overview

This research project focuses on the simultaneous extraction of bitumen and heat from post-Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) reservoirs. It utilizes residual heat for electricity generation through the patented Clean Power SAGD (CP-SAGD) technology. The process complements CP-SAGD by recovering heat from the steam plant flue gas and injecting non-condensable gas (NCG) into the CP-SAGD reservoir. The NCG may consist of flue gas collected from the steam plant stacks or  CO₂ or N₂ removed from flue gas , depending on the industrial partners' carbon capture and sequestration strategies.

The technology serves multiple purposes:

1. Reservoir Pressure Support – Prevents steam influx from neighboring pads into the CP-SAGD pad.
2. Heat Support – Extends the lifespan of CP-SAGD by introducing hot NCG gas into the reservoir.
3. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) – Uses NCG gas to facilitate the extraction of green bitumen.
4. Emissions Reduction – Sequesters a portion of the steam plant’s flue gas emissions into the reservoir, reducing the environmental footprint of SAGD operations.

This research provides an innovative approach to harnessing residual thermal energy from retired reservoirs, contributing to sustainable energy production for both power and bitumen. The project requires no additional land, excavation, drilling, or new construction. As a purely heat transfer-based process, it involves no combustion, eliminating air consumption and emissions. Stainless steel tubing is installed inside existing wells, where clean water circulates in a sealed, closed-loop heat transfer system to extract heat from the reservoir and operate an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system.

To optimize heat recovery efficiency and well configurations, the process is studied through mathematical modeling, engineering analysis, and simulations using CMG STARS software. Key further research areas include analyzing the interaction between NCG and reservoir fluids and rocks, as well as understanding the behavior of NCG within the reservoir.