With oil sands production climbing steadily and conventional production rebounding, Canadian oil production will more than double by 2030, predicts the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

BlackPearl Resources Inc., Calgary, will accelerate thermal enhanced oil recovery at a heavy oil property now producing conventionally in Saskatchewan to help finance a larger oil sands development in northern Alberta called Blackrod (OGJ Online, May 6, 2012).

The estimated cost of producing bitumen in Canada has increased by 6.3-13.2% in the past year, depending on the production method, according to the Canadian Energy Research Institute.

Marathon Oil Corp. said negotiations to sell its 20% interest in the Athabasca oil sands project have ended without any agreement being reached.

Bitumen will claim an increased share of sharply higher oil production in Alberta over the next 10 years, according to the provincial Energy Resources Conservation Board.

Canada’s minister of natural resources has warned officials of the European Union against “discriminatory treatment” of fuels made from products of Canadian oil sands.

Prospects for new bitumen upgraders in Alberta have soured since the global recession of 2008, notes a study published by IHS on the same day plans were reported cancelled for a large project near Fort McMurray (OGJ Online, Mar. 27, 2013).

Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, has scrapped plans for the Voyageur upgrader project near Fort McMurray, Alta., and has acquired partner Total E&P Canada Ltd.’s interest for $515 million.

Gulfport Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, expects delineation drilling in the May River area of northern Alberta by Grizzly Oil Sands ULC to lead to filing of applications for thermal recovery of bitumen.

US Interior Sec. Ken Salazar issued a record of decision that finalizes a development process for federal oil shale and tar sands resources in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The US Bureau of Land Management simultaneously proposed revisions to regulations governing commercial development of those resources.

ConocoPhillips is planning to sell some of its interest in the Australia Pacific LNG project and in the Canadian oil sands in a strategy to devote more cash to US shale plays, ConocoPhilips Chief Executive Ryan Lance said during a Feb. 28 investor and analyst meeting.

Imperial Oil has begun commissioning its initial Kearl oil sands mining development in the northern Athabasca region of Alberta and expects production of diluted bitumen from the first froth-treatment train to begin this quarter (OGJ Online, Jan. 19, 2012). Production will ramp up to 110,000 b/d of bitumen over several months.