Cogeneration potential in western Canada

摘要

Western Candada has very large heavy oil and bitumen resources, the recovery of which will require the application of thermal recovery processes in most cases. The most common thermal process involves injection of large quantities of steam. Steam generation accounts for approximately 30 percent of the costs of recovering heavy oil and bitumen. Reduction of this cost, therefore, is a very important factor in the economics of recovering heavy oil and bitumen and affects the amount that will be ultimately recovered.