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Oil sands GHG lifecycle study using operating data finds lower emitting oil sands cases outperform higher emitting conventional crude cases; a call for more sophisticated tools and reporting

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Well-to-wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas emissions for in situ SAGD and surface mining pathways generated employing GHOST/TIAX/ GHGenius combination and comparison with SAGD, mining and conventional crude oil literature pathways (all results are on a HHV basis). 74% of WTW emissions in our oil sands pathways. Click to enlarge.

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Understanding the variability of GHG life cycle studies of oil sands production

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In a paper published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology , Stanford University assistant professor Adam Brandt reviews a number of recent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil sands extraction, upgrading, and refining pathways—the results of which vary considerably.

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Consortium completes successful test of new oil sands recovery process using electromagnetic heating technology

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A technology and energy production consortium has successfully completed initial proof-of-concept testing of a novel oil sands extraction method that has the potential to improve environmental performance and reduce development costs. The consortium of Laricina Energy, Nexen Inc., Approximately 1.6

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Researcher urges more effort on assessment of land and water impacts of oil sands production; reference point for other unconventional fuels

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Bitumen production from the Canadian oil sands provides a point of reference that could be used to observe and better manage the land and water impacts of a rapid transition to unconventional fuels, suggests Dr. Sarah Jordaan of the Energy Technology Innovation Policy Research Group, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University.

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First production from Imperial’s Kearl oil sands project; “about the same” lifecycle GHGs as average of crudes consumed in US

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Imperial Oil Limited has begun the initial development of the Kearl oil sands project ( earlier post ), which incorporates technology innovations to enhance environmental performance. Kearl will be the first oil sands mining operation that does not require an upgrader to make a saleable crude oil.

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Alberta publishes report assessing non-combustion uses for bitumen, opens $2M call for projects

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Following a 2017 report that identified potential products that could be made from Alberta oil sands bitumen, this new study identifies the top potential uses to help Alberta diversify its economy outside of conventional fuels and chemical feedstocks. Asphalt and asphalt transportability. fly ash and coke).

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Researchers Suggest That Although CCS and Other Technologies Could Reduce Oil Sands GHG Emissions to Near Zero, That Strategy May Not Make Sense

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Examples of emerging oil sands related technologies and trade-offs. The paper is an examination of how various choices about the scale of the life cycle analysis applied to oil sands (i.e., The source material is neither oil nor tar but bitumen, but is most generally described as an example of ultraheavy oil.”.

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