ERA Publishes Interim Report for the ESEIEH™ Project
January 29th, 2018
Partners see radio frequency and solvent assisted oil recovery as potential solution to reduce energy and water use
ERA is funding technologies that can eliminate the need for steam in oil sands production, and one of our projects is sharing its interim results.
The interim report for the Enhanced Solvent Extraction Incorporating Electromagnetic Heating™ (ESEIEH™) project is available on our website.
The ESEIEH™ process is envisioned as a potential long-term replacement to Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). It is an in situ technology that replaces the need for steam and offers the potential for significant GHG reductions and cost efficiencies. The ESEIEH™ project is a consortium between Devon Canada, Nexen Energy ULC, Suncor Energy Inc., Harris Corporation, with funding provided in part by ERA.
The three-phase project began in 2011. If commercially successful, ESEIEH™ offers a number of potential benefits over conventional SAGD technology:
- Reducing energy requirements by up to 75% which reduces costs and GHG emissions
- Eliminating process water needs including water treatment and handling equipment
- Significantly reducing the size and complexity of the surface facility, reducing both capital costs and land footprint.
The ESEIEH™ project is currently in the third phase of the pilot program.