JWN - July 9, 2021 Cenovus Energy Inc. has joined the commercial-scale RF XL pilot project at Marwayne as a consortium member.
Geoff Clark, Acceleware chief executive, said getting to a low-carbon energy future is complex and will require a multitude of solutions, a realization that this will be a transition over time, and a lot of players who are willing to actively participate.
“We are very pleased that Cenovus is coming on board as a third major oil sands partner in our Marwayne RF XL commercial pilot – particularly in light of their participation in the recently announced Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero collaborative initiative,” he said. “While carbon capture technologies are a terrific and necessary innovation, it’s heartening to also see support for commercialization efforts for next generation technologies such as ours – one that is capable of near zero scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.”
Cenovus will provide funding of up to $2 million and technical expertise in support of the pilot under an agreement with Acceleware. The company joins two other major oilsands companies who have each agreed to provide technical assistance and up to $2 million.
Cenovus will be able to provide input into pilot designs and test specifications prior to completion, and will receive, along with the other pilot participants, exclusive access to the full set of detailed technical data and test results for one year following completion of the pilot.
Acceleware has granted Cenovus prioritized rights to host a subsequent test of Acceleware’s RF XL technology, preferred pricing on pre-commercial products, and preferred access to RF XL products over operators who do not participate in the pilot.
Construction on the site is expected to be completed in Q3 2021. The initial heating phase is planned for six months but it may be extended to allow Acceleware to capture additional information on the efficiency and operation of the technology.