Research project title Focus Area 5
Development of packaged design and integrated demonstration technologies for oil production plants
Through securing unconventional resource development and production capabilities
Establishing a foundation for entry into the oil and gas development upstream market
Packaging and integrated demonstration of core unconventional oil production and processing plant technologies
Development of commercial-scale design, construction, and operation technologies
Technology development Development of onshore drilling and production technologies
(Including ES-SAGD)
(Including ES-SAGD)
Demonstration technology Technology capabilities for drilling and production demonstration
(Track Record)
(Track Record)
Market entry for developed equipment and services Expansion to less-developed, resource-rich countries
Research objectives and component technologies
Pre-FEED · Integrated demonstration
Oil production plant
Development of Pre-FEED technology
Site conditions and equipment specifications are surveyed, and process analysis is used to develop a design package. This links demonstration-scale design to analysis based on commercial-scale Pre-FEED.
Production plant design
- 600 bpd
- Pre-FEED, FEED, and detailed design technologies
- Analysis and technology development based on commercial-scale 20,000 bpd Pre-FEED
Research activities and development scope
- Determining specifications, capacities, and permitting requirements for developed equipment
- Preparation and sharing of the integrated program schedule
- Establishing an integration plan for component and core technologies (FEED package)
Oil production plant
Development of integrated demonstration technology
Developed equipment is fabricated as modules and packages, transported to an overseas site, and connected. Construction, operation, and evaluation establish field applicability and operational technology capabilities.
Integrated demonstration of the production plant
- 600 bpd
- Production plant construction and operation technologies
- Locally tailored dissemination and deployment model
Research activities and development scope
- Benchmarking overseas field validation and demonstration cases
- Establishment of a field-application validation system and demonstration T/B
- Operational evaluation and process optimization
Final research outcome targets and integrated framework
Packaging and demonstration of technologies from Focus Areas 1–4
- 01 Focus Area 1 ↗ Recovery and circulation
- 02 Focus Area 2 ↗ Fluid and fine-particle separation
- 03 Focus Area 3 ↗ Water treatment
- 04 Focus Area 4 ↗ Partial upgrading
Production plant packaging and integrated demonstration Design, fabrication, transport, construction, and operation
Field agreement, FEED execution, and T/B construction → Packaged equipment design, fabrication, and overseas transport → Construction and operation of a 600 bpd production plant
Domestic performance validation
Management and collaboration for Focus Areas 1–4 and performance testing using the domestic T/B
Overseas integrated demonstration
Construction and operation of the demonstration plant in Canada
Integrated demonstration support technologies
Operational diagnostics · Infrastructure construction · Environmentally sound processes
Diagnostic and monitoring system and digital twin
Rapid pipeline backfill construction and ground stability assessment
Fine tailings solidification process
Implementation strategy and direction
Phase 1 development and domestic validation → Phase 2 overseas demonstration
Development of component and core technologies
- Demonstration field agreement and establishment of a local support system
- Sharing specifications, capacities, and permitting requirements for equipment developed for the demonstration field
- Support and collaboration in obtaining permits for developed equipment and demonstrations (Focus Areas 1–5)
- Preparation and sharing of the integrated program schedule
- Establishing an integration plan for component and core technologies (FEED package)
Pilot validation of prototypes
- Performance evaluation and validation of prototypes from Focus Areas 1–4
- Support for reliability certification of prototypes from Focus Areas 1–4
- Establishing a coordinated cooperation system with government, relevant public institutions, and public corporations
- Demonstration planning (site, scope, budget, and schedule)
- Development of an integrated diagnostic and monitoring system for the demonstration plant
Overseas field demonstration
- Establishing a field-application validation system using a T/B
- Modular and packaged equipment fabrication, transport, and construction
- T/B development and demonstration plant construction and operation
- Development of process analysis and conceptual design technologies for commercial-scale production plants
- Development of a commercialization and deployment model for oil sands development tailored to overseas local conditions
Research activities and outcomes
Securing a field · Detailed design · Demonstration foundation
- 01Test bed demonstration field confirmed for the unconventional oil production plant: Sawn Lake (Andora Energy, Alberta, Canada)
- 02Building an expert network with Canadian provincial governments and relevant organizations
- 03Integrated detailed design completed for a 600 barrel/day oil sands production plant
- 04Establishing an integrated process for demonstration test bed construction and operation
AS-IS / TO-BE
Packaging · On-site demonstration · Process optimization
Site conditions and construction
- Production plant construction faces substantial uncertainty, as local environmental conditions may disrupt implementation relative to plan
- Packaged design, fabrication, and construction of distinct plant modules
- Simplifying on-site work
Integrated performance and field demonstration
- Validation in a single pilot is limited in scale, operating variables, and other aspects
- Packaged design is important for securing the overall performance of multiple process units and resolving problems
- Demonstration of oil production, processing, recirculation supply, and infrastructure construction technologies under field conditions
Process optimization and commercialization
- Equipment for high-viscosity crude oil production processes has region-specific characteristics because it is designed for unconventional oil environments
- Numerous regional constraints on production and marketing
- Process optimization considering environmental and infrastructure conditions
- Considering capital cost reduction and commercialization in unconventional oil regions