Resource Conservation

We employ significant effort to ensure the efficient use of our resources and the responsible extraction and upgrading of bitumen into a high quality crude oil product.

	2007 Target	2006 Actual	2006 Target	2005	2004	2003	2002
Total Energy Consumption
(billion BTUs)	156,231	140,954	137,863	114,753	119,401	107,163	110,022
Energy Intensity
(million BTUs per barrel)	1.33	1.48	1.36	1.43	1.35	1.37	1.30
Bitumen Recovery (%)	90.3	91.3	89.6	89.1	87.4	88.4	89.9
Naphtha Losses
(bbls per bbl of bitumen produced)	<0.0043	0.0032	<0.0043	0.0038	0.0038	0.0044	0.0043
Upgrading Yield (%)	89.1	84.7	88.8	85.3	85.5	85.8	86.2

Resource Conservation Analysis – Energy intensity in 2006 was up over three per cent from 2005 as a result of start-up energy demand on the new Stage 3 units. This demand should abate as operational experience with the units is gained. Many of the new units feature monitoring and management systems that allow for increased capture and use of waste heat, which will result in reduced energy intensity in coming years.

A significant increase in bitumen recovery was recorded in 2006 thanks to better material balance measurement and programming improvements that allowed for better monitoring and optimization in extraction operations. Several technical improvements in bitumen froth treatment also helped improve bitumen recovery. In 2007, work to modify primary separation vessels should enable long-term continued improvement in bitumen recovery rates.

Syncrude had its best ever year for naphtha recovery thanks to a new naphtha recovery unit and control system placed in service in April 2006. Overall naphtha losses on a per barrel basis were reduced by more than 15 per cent. Naphtha recovery was 87.3 per cent in 2006, an increase from 86.8 per cent in 2005.