Husky Energy Inc., Calgary, reported the start of production at the first of two 30,000-b/d plants at the in situ Sunrise Oil Sands Project in northeastern Alberta. Husky said it expects the project’s total production to ramp up its full 60,000 b/d capacity (gross) by yearend 2016.
Steam operations for the project began in December 2014 (OGJ Online, Dec. 12, 2014).
Husky is the operator of Sunrise, which lies 60 km northeast of Fort McMurray, with equal working interest with BP PLC, which operates the jointly-owned BP-Husky Toledo refinery.
Bitumen from Sunrise can be processed at that refinery.
Sunrise contains estimated reserves of 3.7 billion bbl (440 million proved, 2.4 billion probable, and 860 million possible) as of Dec. 31, 2013. Husky has a 50% working interest in these reserves.