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Imperial Oil Announces First Production From Kearl Oil Sands Project
Technology innovations signal next generation of oil-sands mining Kearl key ste...
About this update from Imperial Oil Limited
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTechnology innovations signal next generation of oil-sands mining\n\n\nKearl key step in Imperial's plan to double production to 600,000\n barrels per day by 2020\n\n\nFirst of three froth trains producing bitumen\n\n\n\n\nCALGARY, April 27, 2013 /CNW/ - Imperial Oil Limited today announced the\n start-up of the initial development of the Kearl oil sands project,\n which incorporates next-generation technology innovations that\n significantly enhance environmental performance.\n\n\n\"Kearl is a historic development for Imperial,\" said Rich Kruger,\n Imperial Oil chairman and CEO. \"Kearl is the largest project we've ever\n undertaken and the beginning of a period of substantial growth for the\n company that will see us double production to more than 600,000 barrels\n per day by about 2020.\"\n\n\nProduction of mined diluted bitumen from the first of three froth\n treatment trains has begun. Start-up of two additional bitumen froth\n trains will proceed in sequence as planned, bringing production from\n the initial development to an expected 110,000 barrels per day later in\n 2013.\n\n\nDiluted bitumen produced from Kearl will have about the same life-cycle\n greenhouse-gas emissions as many other crude oils refined in the United\n States as a result of technologies which significantly enhance\n environmental performance. Energy needs have been reduced by using a\n proprietary froth treatment process that eliminates the need to build\n an upgrader; and through installation of energy-saving cogeneration\n capabilities.\n\n\nOther environmental innovations include on-site water storage to\n eliminate river withdrawals in low-flow periods, progressive land\n reclamation, earlier tailings reclamation than other oilsands\n operations and a state-of-the-art waterfowl deterrent system.\n\n\n\"Our goal with Kearl is to approach development differently to better\n address environmental challenges and more closely meet the expectations\n of stakeholders in developing a critical resource,\" Kruger said. \"I\n believe we have achieved this.\"\n\n\nAn expansion phase at Kearl will add another 110,000 barrels per day by\n late 2015 and future debottlenecking will increase output to reach the\n regulatory capacity of 345,000 barrels per day by about 2020.\n\n\nThe Kearl project, located about 75 kilometres northeast of Fort\n...