Pengrowth Energy Corp., Calgary, has received final regulatory approval for the first commercial phase of its Lindbergh thermal oil sands development near Bonnyville in east-central Alberta (OGJ Online, Aug. 6, 2012).
The company will start mechanical construction of the processing facility and the drilling of 23 additional well pairs for steam-assisted gravity drainage in September. It expects to start injecting steam in the fourth quarter.
Two well pairs drilled in a pilot project produced an average of 2,300 b/d of bitumen in June with an instantaneous steam-oil ratio (ISOR) of 1.4. Cumulative pilot production through June was 640,000 bbl. Pengrowth expects pilot production to stabilize at 2,000 b/d with an ISOR of 1.7.
The company has ordered all major equipment and more than 60% of the minor equipment for the newly approved 12,500-b/d commercial phase. It reported process design as 90% complete and mechanical design as 40% complete.
Pengrowth plans two later commercial phases, subject to board and regulatory approvals.
The second phase, beginning in early 2017, would raise Lindbergh production to 30,000 b/d. A third phase, beginning by the end of 2018, would push production to 50,000 b/d.