Our
mission is to create wealth
for our stakeholders from
Canada’s oil sands through
the 21st century by safely, reliably and
profitably producing high quality crude oil
and other products in an environmentally
and socially responsible manner.
Toward this, Syncrude operates
technologically advanced oil sands mines,
extraction and upgrading facilities, as
well as utilities plants at its sites north
of Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Syncrude was incorporated in 1964
and began producing crude oil in 1978.
Today our company is the world’s largest
producer of light, sweet crude oil from
the oil sands with cumulative production
surpassing 1.5 billion barrels.
The Syncrude Project is a joint
venture undertaking among Canadian
Oil Sands Limited (31.74%), Canadian
Oil Sands Limited Partnership (5%),
ConocoPhillips Oilsands Partnership II
(9.03%), Imperial Oil Resources (25%),
Mocal Energy Limited (5%), Murphy Oil
Company Ltd. (5%), Nexen Inc. (7.23%),
and Petro-Canada Oil and Gas (12%).
Research and Development
Syncrude invests over $40 million annually in science and
technology, and is among the top 50 companies in Canada
for R&D investment. Our Research Department has been
active for 40 years and operates one of the largest private
sector research programs in western Canada. Syncrude
holds 21 active Canadian and U.S. patents and our
researchers maintain extensive ties with universities
and research institutes.
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Stakeholder Consultation
We are strongly committed to
ensuring the public, whether individuals
or interested groups, are consulted
about corporate actions that could
directly affect them. Their input
and expectations are integral to the
decisions we make today and how we
plan for the future.
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Utilities
Syncrude’s utilities facilities produce
the steam, electricity and air, and
treat the water required to run the
operation. Syncrude is self-reliant in
electrical power generation and a
net exporter of electricity to the
Alberta Power Grid.
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Mining
Shovel and truck operations at the Mildred lake and
Aurora sites mine the oil sand, which is then mixed
with warm water. This process creates a slurry that is
pumped via the hydrotransport pipeline system to
extraction facilities.
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Extraction
The bitumen slurry is fed into
separation vessels where the bitumen
floats to the surface in a froth.
This froth is diluted with naphtha,
and then fed into centrifuges that
further separate liquids and solids.
Finally, the naphtha is removed,
leaving only pure bitumen.
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Upgrading
Bitumen is fed into either one of two cokers
or a hydrogen processor. It is thermally
cracked into hydrocarbon gases, naphtha
and gas oil. The hydrocarbon gases are
treated for use as refinery fuel, and the
naphtha and gas oils are treated and blended
into a high quality, light, sweet crude oil
called Syncrude Sweet Blend. The oil is
then transported via pipeline to refineries
in North America.
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Reclamation
After mining is complete, our vision is to create a
landscape that sustains an integrated mosaic of land
uses that meet stakeholder expectations. To date, we
have permanently reclaimed 4,055 hectares and planted
about 3.3 million tree and shrub seedlings. And, in
cooperation with the Fort McKay First Nation, we
have successfully developed wood bison habitats.
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Socio-Economic Benefits
Through our work to produce
Syncrude Sweet Blend, we contribute
to the social and economic well-being
of Canadians.
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Refineries/Customers
Refineries process Syncrude Sweet Blend
to make high quality gasolines and diesel
fuels, jet fuels and chemical feedstocks.
Syncrude and its owners work continuously
to understand present and future refinery
requirements; accordingly, an improved
Syncrude Sweet Premium product will be
introduced in 2006.
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