[en] There is a perception that engineers are the cause of environmental problems rather than part of their solution. This perception is being addressed by the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta in its environmental awareness seminars which introduce to members of the Association their legal and moral obligations to protect and enhance the environment. The Association is also addressing the problem of a forecast shortage of engineers in Canada by starting a number of programs to help school teachers get pre-high school students interested in science and mathematics. Finally, the perception that a third oil sands plant will be built in the Fort McMurray area is analyzed. It is felt that a third plant is unlikely, based strictly on economic criteria. Although another oil sands plant is needed to increase Canada's domestic supply of light crude, the crude oil price is too low to make a new plant economic. The oil price needed to render the new plant economic would require a gasoline price increase of 5 cents per liter, which would not likely be supported even by the local residents in the Fort McMurray area who would benefit from the new plant. It is also unlikely that plant costs could be decreased enough to make the economics feasible, nor is it likely that a government subsidy would be forthcoming

[en] At Syncrude Canada, the world's largest oil sands operation, efforts are constantly under way to prepare the company for the challenges of the 1990s and the next century. The company has generally been able to improve its safety, production, and cost figures from one year to the next over its 12-year history. In its latest 5-year plan, the objectives are a 10% reduction in workforce numbers, a 13% improvement in production, and a $155 million reduction in organizational costs. The key factors influencing Syncrude's success have been found to be that the company does not have control over the oil price and that it does have control over organizational effectiveness. This indicates the difference that people can make to an organization's success. Tapping the best thinking, innovative ideas, risk taking, and creativity of Syncrude's human resources will be the key to fulfilling the objectives of its future plans

[en] Market demands always drive the creation of new and innovative projects. This paper presents the need for revitalization of oil sands mining and the issues and challenges related to it. Various projects sanctioned for the period 2011 to 2015 are listed, along with their respective demand drivers. A graph shows the already vigorous investment in the Canadian oil sands mining reaching an all time high by 2015. It is estimated that there will be a 19% increase in costs and 5-6 % annual rise in salaries between 2011-2015, with engineering and labor being the major cost drivers. At present there is high demand for human resources and the limited availability of engineers and labor further increases costs; Australian LNG projects face similar challenges. The solution is to import human resources. But module transportation will still remain a challenge. The conclusion to be drawn is that, over time, cost reduction and efficiency can be achieved through co-operation and co-ordination.

[en] A method for decontaminating a hydrocarbon spill in situ using electrical heating and fluid injection is described. Extensive testing of this system demonstrated that this integrated approach can remove hydrocarbon contaminants in situ at an accelerated rate. A mathematical model that combines all principal heat transfer elements - electrical heating, convection, conduction and accumulation of energy - and solves the heat transfer problem for the integrated process, is demonstrated. An alternative use for the model is to investigate the practicality of the process in terms of energy requirements and the time required to clean the soil. The model was compared to a commercial simulator and was found be in good agreement. 13 refs., 11 figs

[en] Syncrude's program designed to maintain good relations with Aboriginal communities in all areas where Syncrude operation impact upon Aboriginal peoples and their traditional ways of life are described. The program extends from employment through education to business and community development, the preservation of traditional lifestyles, and the protection of the environment. As examples, some 13 per cent of Syncrude's workforce is made up of Aboriginal people, at an average annual salary of $58,000. The company offers $ 2,000 each, specifically to Aboriginal persons, wanting to further their education particularly in disciplines related to oil sands. A five-year $ 500,000 program has been established by Syncrude at the University of Alberta specifically for Aboriginal people to pursue careers in engineering, medicine , education and business. Other career programs are also offered through Keyano College, Athabasca University and the Northern Alberta Development Council, and there is a strong commitment by the company to encouraging adults to go back to school and for kids to stay in school. Last year the company spent $ 54 million with Aboriginal-owned and operated businesses; the company also support several programs to foster the appreciation of Aboriginal culture not only in Alberta but throughout the country. Environment is the fifth and final element of the Aboriginal Development Program. It involves consultation and working with local communities on environmental matters involving issues ranging from land reclamation to emission reduction. Some six million dollars are spent annually on reclaiming land and reintroducing native animal and plant species wherever possible. An outstanding example of this is the Wood Bison Trail on 210 hectares of reclaimed land managed by the Fort McKay First Nations. It is readily acknowledged that dealing with Aboriginal concerns has not been an easy road to travel and that there are still many things to do. Nevertheless, there is general satisfaction with the progress made to date and evidence of the conviction that the time when all people will have an equal opportunity to be successful at Syncrude is rapidly approaching

[en] As part of Syncrude Canada's continuing efforts to improve operations, its oil sands mine was compared to other surface mines in order to determine possible areas of improvement. The two basic tools used in this process were influence diagrams, which capture pictorially all of the factors that may affect a particular outcome, and benchmarking, which allows mathematical relationships to be developed for the various influences. These relationships estimate the magnitude of the influence on an outcome and allow prediction of changes in outcomes when an influence is changed. A model was developed, using data from four different mines, to make the comparisons with Syncrude's operation. The results show that Syncrude could improve costs by ca 10% if all of the superior methods and ideas used at other mines could be adopted. 1 fig

[en] A $2.2 billion expansion of the current oil sands operation has been proposed by Suncor Energy Inc. The expansion would more than double the productive capacity of the present facility. As part of the application for this expansion, called Project Millennium, a comprehensive closure plan has been developed and filed by the Corporation. The Plan includes a systematic evaluation of the area to be developed, a description of the development activities planned, and the goals and objectives of the Corporation in re-establishing the landforms and ecosystems concurrently with running the operation. The Plan envisages surface contouring as early as practicable during the mine development, soil reconstruction, and re-establishment of vegetation, surface drainage and wetlands. The Corporation undertakes to monitor the performance of the reclaimed areas based on landform performance, the impact of chemical constituents on the landscape and ecosystem sustainability. An annual monitoring report assessing herbaceous vegetation growth, major species composition, tree and shrub survival and growth rate, groundwater conditions, amount of precipitation, the utility of constructed wetlands for treatment of reclamation area seepage and runoff waters, and wildlife population changes, will be prepared annually. A future research program associated with the Reclamation and Closure Plan will also examine the effectiveness of the reclamation drainage system as fish habitat, and the potential of the proposed end-pit lake to provide a viable aquatic ecosystem. 8 refs., 2 figs

[en] Syncrude Canada Ltd. is the world's largest producer of synthetic crude oil from oil sands. It supplies 11% of Canada's crude oil requirements. Production in 1991 reached 9.6 million m³ of synthetic crude oil shipped at unit operating costs of $16.48/bbl. Operating cash flow before capital expenditures, financing costs, and taxes was $393 million. Capital expenditures in 1991 were $157 million, mainly for completion of the southwest sand storage project, enhancement of the auxiliary production system in Syncrude's open pit mine, and installation of a new computerized process control system for bitumen extraction. Occupational safety performance improved over 1990. Emissions controls were improved during 1991 by improving seals on CO boiler diverter stacks and reliability efforts which improved service factors in the processing plant. A total of 143 hectares of land were reclaimed in 1991, compared to 40 hectares in 1990. Productivity in 1991 reached 13,600 bbl per employee. Total mine production reached 124.4 million tonnes and bitumen recovery in the extraction plant was 91%. Research projects conducted in 1991 included investigation of options for replacement of the east and west mining areas, a review of steam assisted gravity drainage for possible application at Syncrude, and the viability of hydrotransport of mined oil sand. 15 figs., 10 tabs

[en] The paper describes how the Syncrude relationship with Aboriginal communities in the region came about, and how Syncrude maintains that relationship and share in the community at its oil sands operation in Alberta, Canada. Syncrude is a world leader in oil sands development and in promoting the quality of the working life and employment of native peoples. The remainder of the presentation is devoted to that particular achievement. The partnerships Syncrude has built are based on mutual respect, a sustainable capability, a professional relationship, support of community, and self-reliance. Syncrude recognized very early on that Aboriginal people would have a major interest in the company's future and sought to integrate the company's program into operations as a normal way of doing business. Today, Aboriginal people play a vital role in the oil sands industry, working at a variety of skilled occupations. The education component of Syncrude's program is designed to equip Aboriginal people with the training they need to claim their fair share of the employment pie at Syncrude. Contractors servicing Syncrude are about one-fifth Aboriginal-owned and run operations and they are in turn encouraged to hire Aboriginal employees. There are three direct elements of the program: employment, education and business development, but partnerships go beyond just that: they extend to the community such that Syncrude is dedicated to working with local people, when requested, to help them define and meet their needs and to achieve self-reliance

[en] Suncor Energy's Millennium Project was confronted with many challenges of a regulatory nature while engaged in the approvals process. An outline is included of the key activities and strategies the company utilized to successfully meet the challenges while maintaining the desired project timeline. The project is expected to increase the production capacity of upgraded crude oil to the 220,000 barrel per day level to 2002 through the expansion of the Steepbank Mine and additional plant capacity. The scope of the project includes all activities necessary to plan, construct and operate a major facility expansion. These activities comprise: an expansion at the Steepbank Mine, Millennium Extraction plant, a second primary separation plant located in the east side of the Athabasca River to produce raw bitumen, raw bitumen pipeline to the existing Base Extraction Plant, modifications to the Base Extraction Plant to clean the raw bitumen and produce a diluted bitumen product. Also included in the expansion is a second upgrader train to produce a slate of upgraded crude oil products, addition of 360 megawatt co-generation plant supplying the required steam and power, and other related infrastructure to facilitate the increased production level (tankage, water treatment, support facilities). Suncor has worked diligently through the regulatory and environmental review process, and through innovation and hard work, plus a pro-active approach to consultation, Suncor was able to maintain its desired schedule, improve its project design and achieve full stakeholder support