JWN - July 30, 2020 The effects and costs of climate change and other environmental factors are hastening a global energy transition in which the drive for the cleanest possible fuels is gaining momentum. It is becoming clear that environmental responsibility, sound economics and breakthrough technologies must be applied to the production of heavy oil and oil sands for both combustion and non-combustion uses.
A zero-carbon means of producing heavy oil and the oil sands could play a vital role in helping to advance Alberta’s position as an environmental, social and governance (ESG) leader in clean energy transition.
To that end, this white paper provides a techno-economic analysis of the potential impact of deploying a local solar energy array to support a 5,000 bbl per day pad-based RF XL heavy oil project in Alberta, California and the Middle East. The goal is to demonstrate scenarios where transformative technologies and ideas could quickly and efficiently modernize the heavy oil and oilsands industry.