Surmont Energy Ltd., Calgary, has submitted applications for a thermal oil sands development it calls Wildwood on acreage 65 km south of Fort McMurray, Alta., in which it earned an 80% interest through 3D seismic work and core-hole drilling (OGJ Online, Mar. 27, 2012).

The private company plans to use steam-assisted gravity drainage to produce 12,000 b/d of bitumen from the Cretaceous McMurray reservoir. Production would start in 2015 or 2016, peaking in 1-2 years and lasting 24 years or more.

The planned central processing facility is designed to include a gas-fired cogeneration power plant, but Surmont said it is in discussions for supply of primary or back-up power from the local grid.

Surmont and privately held Bounty Developments Ltd., Calgary, which holds a 20% interest, plan further exploration of their 12,000-acre block of oil sands leases.