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Research Program

Program Coordination Focus Area 1 Focus Area 2 Focus Area 3 Focus Area 4 Focus Area 5

Research Outcomes

All outcomes Papers Patents and Intellectual Property Conference Presentations and Seminars Talent Development and Job Creation

Activities

Activities overview Project Schedule Press Releases Event

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Research project title Program Coordination

Support for development and demonstration of core construction technologies for unconventional oil production plants

Research vision and implementation strategy

Linking core technologies from each focus area to integrated demonstration

Vision

Developing new markets through competitiveness in plant construction

Project objectives

Development and demonstration of core technologies for oil sands production, processing, and transport plants in extreme cold regions

Research outcome targets

Scientific and technological research outcome targets

  • Securing oil production and pretreatment plant technologies for extreme cold regions
  • On-site demonstration plant construction and operation

Socioeconomic research outcome targets

  • Achieving commercialization through core technology transfer and validation
Priority implementation strategies
AS-IS Technologies for expansion into the Middle East and Southeast Asia,
Business model
TO-BE Strategic technologies for expansion into northern regions,
Business expansion

  1. With large-company support, led by mid-sized enterprises and SMEs Convergent R&D based on local demand

  2. To improve the maturity of developed technologies Stepwise validation and demonstration Pursuing commercialization through

  3. With leading organizations in technology and testing certification for northern extreme cold regions International exchange and cooperation with priority given to

  4. Efficient Program management and dissemination framework for research outcomes Establishment and implementation

Integrated demonstration

Integrated demonstration

Focus Area 5 ↗
Test bed scale
600bpd
Localization rate
80 % or higher
Operating days
90 days or more Continuous operation

※ The figure was adjusted to 600 bpd following a change in the field.

01
600 bpd Pre-FEED process flow diagram

600 bpd
Pre-FEED technology

Establishment of design criteria and guidelines

02
600 bpd test bed

600 bpd FEED technology and test bed construction

03 · Commercial scale
20,000bpd

Pre-FEED foundation and technology development

Integrated FEED package

Design data for recovery, separation, water treatment, and partial upgrading are linked to integrated demonstration.

Focus Area 1 ↗ Independent FEED capabilities for well pads
Scene showing steam and solvent injection around the upper injection well in the same geological cross-section Steam and solvent Injection well Production well
01 Steam and solvent injection
Scene showing the chamber expanding upward and laterally beyond its previous boundary, marked by a dashed line Chamber Injection well Production well
02 Chamber expansion
Scene showing black bitumen flowing along the chamber edges and collecting in the lower production well Chamber Injection well Production well ● Bitumen
03 Gravity drainage and recovery
Technology for recovering and circulating unconventional oil

Steam and solvent reduce bitumen viscosity, allowing it to collect in the lower production well for recovery.

Cross-section perpendicular to the horizontal wells
Upper circle: injection well · Lower circle: production well

Focus Area 2 ↗ Independent FEED capabilities for gathering and separation
Cross-sectional diagram of a three-phase separator in which gas gathers at the top, oil floats on water, and the three phases leave through separate outlets Mixture Gas layer Oil layer Water layer
01 Mixture inlet 02 Layer separation due to density differences 03 Gas, oil, and water recovery
Technology for gathering and separating mixed produced fluids

Gas, oil, and water form separate layers inside the vessel and are recovered through their respective outlets.

Focus Area 3 ↗ Independent FEED capabilities for water treatment
Four-stage water treatment diagram showing oil removal by flotation, electrode and membrane treatment, separation into reclaimed-water and concentrate streams, and additional recovery from concentrate Removed oil Flotation separation Electrodes and membranes Membrane Reclaimed water Concentrate Recovered water Residual solids
01 Oil removal 02 Treatment of residual contaminants 03 Reclaimed-water separation 04 Concentrate recovery
Technology for treating and reusing produced water

After oil and organic matter are reduced, the water is divided into reclaimed-water and concentrate streams. The concentrate is treated separately to pursue additional water recovery.

Focus Area 4 ↗ Independent FEED capabilities for partial upgrading
Three-stage diagram using simple matte cross-sections to depict the flow of high-viscosity bitumen through catalyst and reaction processes to partially upgraded oil for transport High-viscosity bitumen Catalytic reaction Partially upgraded oil Improved flowability
01 High-viscosity bitumen 02 Catalysts and reaction processes 03 Viscosity reduction and transport
Technology for adapting unconventional oil for long-distance transport

This technology uses catalysts and reaction processes to partially upgrade bitumen, producing partially upgraded oil suitable for long-distance transport.

Program roadmap

Phase 1

4 years

Establishing a foundation · Establishing design data

01 Establishment and operation of program administrative infrastructure

  • Establishment of program administrative infrastructure
  • Adjusting the detailed implementation framework for program operations
  • Preparation of a data analysis report for establishing unconventional oil production plant processes

02 Support for component technology development

  • Establishing a foundation for demonstration through support from evaluation, certification, and analysis centers for each component technology
  • Support for integrated process evaluation to link component technologies, and establishment of a regular research exchange system
  • Domestic and international joint research exchanges and seminars

03 Discussions on the on-site test bed location

  • Selection of the research group's own criteria and economic evaluation for each component technology
  • On-site test bed visits and technical exchange
  • Discussions on technical exchange with local companies and assessment of the applicability of Korean equipment

04 Establishing design data

  • Assessment of achievement of 80% localization for each core technology
  • On-site test bed discussions and preliminary agreements
  • Securing integrated design data for component technologies

Phase 2

3 years

On-site demonstration · Integrated design

05 Support for establishing the on-site test bed

  • Support for establishing the on-site test bed in Canada
  • Technical advisory discussions and support for test bed construction
  • Support for initial test bed operation and management

06 Support for on-site test bed operation

  • Support for operation of the 600 bpd integrated test bed
  • Support for medium- to long-term operation of at least 9 months
  • Regular reporting of results and sharing of research refinements

07 Deriving integrated design and operating guidelines

  • Development of an integrated FEED package
  • Providing guidelines for a 20,000 bpd integrated plant