By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Jan. 7 -- Syncrude production from the $4.2 billion Sincor project in Venezuela will start on schedule in February, said main shareholder TotalFinaElf SA.
Construction work at the upgrader in Jose was completed at yearend and start-up is underway.
Sincor, formally known as Sincrudos de Oriente Sincor CA, operates this project for producing 8.5° gravity crude, transporting it by a 200-km pipeline to Jose, and upgrading it to a 32°-gravity crude for export (OGJ, Oct. 29, 2001, p. 47).
At production plateau of 200,000 b/d of heavy crude, the upgraded oil production will reach 180,000 b/d of "Zuata Sweet."
TotalFinaElf holds 47% interest in Sincor, Venezuelan state-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela SA owns 38%, and Norwegian company Statoil ASA owns 15%.
Since initial production of heavy crude from that field began in December 2000, more than 15 million bbl of extra-heavy crude oil have already been produced and blended with lighter crude to obtain a 16°-gravity oil for export.
With the completion of the Jose upgrader, the integrated chain will be gradually started up.
The contract duration is 35 years.