Bitumen production at Pengrowth Energy Corp.’s Lindbergh thermal oil project in the Lloydminster fairway of Alberta’s Cold Lake area has exceeded 18,000 b/d of bitumen, the company reported.
Although three of eight infill wells drilled this year are on pump and starting to produce, output will decline by 40% briefly for maintenance, Pengrowth said.
The first commercial phase of the steam-assisted, gravity drainage project came onstream at 12,500 b/d in early 2015. The rate has been increased through optimization. A second development, for which the company received approval in 2016, would add 27,500 b/d of production capacity (OGJ Online, June 3, 2016).
The company expects Lindbergh output to recover to 18,000 b/d by yearend and to average 16,500 b/d for the year. It expects production to reach 17,500-18,000 b/d in 2019 and 19,500-20,000 b/d in 2020.
In addition to drilling the infill wells, the company is recommissioning the project’s pilot facility to provide extra steam and has received approval to inject noncondensable gas to maintain reservoir pressure and lower injector-well steam requirements by 15-20%. It also is collaborating with the University of Calgary on a study of injection of solvents to optimize total recovery and efficiency.