Alberta Energy Regulator has approved an application by Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. to convert to low-pressure steamflooding at its Primrose East Area 1 bitumen project.
AER said the bitumen production method involves steam injection “at much lower pressures” than the previous method of high-pressure cyclic steam stimulation. The agency’s approval followed “a comprehensive technical review.”
AER’s investigation continues into “flow-to-surface (FTS) events” at Primrose East and South on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range. CNRL has reported four FTS releases of bitumen since May 2013, AER said (OGJ Online, Aug. 2, 2013).
AER directed CNRL in the summer of 2013 to enhance monitoring at Primrose. Monitoring remains in place and will assess any impacts of low-pressure steaming.
In July, AER released the results of an independent technical review of the 2013 incidents (OGJ Online, July 22, 2014). The main contributing factors were “the steaming strategy” and “wellbore issues.”