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Research Program

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U-TOP PIONEER · RESOURCE & SITE

Oil sands
Field conditions

We examine resources, site conditions, and operating requirements together to establish the starting point for production plant design.

02 / GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION

Resources: distribution and scale

Unconventional oil is distributed across many regions, but resource measurement criteria and stages of commercial production differ.
GLOBAL RESOURCE MAP Major distribution and commercial production regions

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Major tight oil assessment regions Canadian oil sands Venezuelan extra-heavy oil
SCOPE × SCALE Canada / 46-country total: 39.7% Reported values · Different resource definitions

46 countries Total tight oil assessment Commercial production in 4 countries

1 country Canada alone Oil sands proved reserves

Total for 46 countries 419

Canada: 1 country 166.3

Because the indicators have different definitions, this compares only the scale and assessment scope of the reported values, not resource rankings. Circle area represents only the reported magnitude.

03 / ECONOMIC THRESHOLD

WTI break-even: low US$40s

Existing major oil sands companies operate over long periods after high initial investment and have recently lowered their break-even levels.
WTI PRICE REQUIRED TO BE PROFITABLE Break-even range for existing major oil sands companies

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WTI basis · Range varies by company, field, exchange rate, and WCS differential

04 / KOREA ACCESS

Conditions for Korean participation

Having abundant resources and allowing Korean companies to participate in mineral rights, operations, and technology demonstrations are different conditions.
ROUTES FROM KOREA Representative logistics routes from Busan Port to resource regions

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Long dashed lines indicate sea transport; short dashed lines indicate land and pipeline connections beyond the ports. Actual voyages vary with vessel, cargo, and transit conditions. Trans MountainPort Corpus ChristiEIA Venezuela
U.S. · TIGHT OIL Production requiring repeated drilling
CANADA · OIL SANDS Plants designed for long-term operation
VENEZUELA · EXTRA-HEAVY Large resources, but barriers to entry

Sanctions, underinvestment, and aging infrastructure hinder project access

EIA · Tight oil decline rate · 2025 EIA · Venezuela · 2024 Reuters · Oil sands costs and operating life · 2025

Commercialization review Korea's project assessment criteria

  1. 01 Resources
  2. 02 Economic viability
  3. 03 Accessibility
  4. 04 Plant technology

ARCHIVE & NEWS

The program's latest records from the field.

U-TOP IDENTITY

Layers of sand and oil,
And the technology built upon it.

The story behind the program's visual identity