Research Chair Renewed – The NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Oil Sands Engineering was renewed in 2006 for an unprecedented third term with about $5.5 million in financial support over five years from Syncrude, the National Science and Engineering Research Council and others. Dr. Jacob Masliyah, of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering, has held the Chair since its inception in 1996. The Chair has created important new bodies of knowledge into the fundamental science surrounding oil sands processing and bitumen extraction, and has led to advances in processing problem ores and pre-commercial science, among other successes. It has also created new learning curriculum such as the Certificate in Oil Sands Technology offered through the University’s Faculty of Extension.

In-Pit Bitumen Production – In August, a development facility to test a new oil sands slurry preparation technology was commissioned. Known as In-Bit, for In-Pit Bitumen Production System, the technology will allow shovels in Syncrude mines to feed oil sand directly into mobile crushers and slurry preparation plants. Starting the slurry preparation process closer to the mine face allows for more extensive use of hydrotransport, which moves oil sand more cheaply than trucks or conveyors, and it could also improve recovery rates and reduce equipment down-time.

Gains from Catalyst Research – New longer-life, lower-cost catalysts have been developed by Syncrude in collaboration with its alliance partner, Criterion Catalysts and Technologies. Catalyst removes impurities from synthetic crude oil feed streams and must be custom made for oil sands upgraders due to the unique properties of bitumen-derived crude oil. A new catalyst for Syncrude’s LC Finer was tested at Syncrude’s Edmonton Research Centre and has now been used on a commercial scale in operations for more than a year, saving $9 million in catalyst costs. A new catalyst for Syncrude’s six hydrotreaters is now being tested at the laboratory scale, where it has shown promise of a 30 per cent increase in plant run length.