https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Fort Hills oil sands mining project, Canada

21st February 2014

By: Sheila Barradas

Creamer Media Research Coordinator & Senior Deputy Editor

  

Font size: - +

Name and Location
Fort Hills oil sands mining project, Alberta, Canada.

Client
Suncor Energy (40.8%), Total E&P Canada (39.2%) and Teck Resources (20%).

Project Description
Fort Hill has best contingent resources of about 3.3-billion barrels of bitumen, with a mine life estimated at more than 50 years at the current planned production rate.

The project will be developed as an openpit truck-and-shovel mine.

The mine plan envisages two main pits and a mine fleet capable of sustaining production of 14 5000 t an hour of oil sand.

The mine aims to produce and process 110-million tonnes of oil sands a year, yielding an average of 189 000 bbl/d at full production.

The oil sands feed will be delivered to two ore-crushing plants, where oil sand material will be crushed and processed.

Ore from the crushing will be mixed with warm water and conditioned to create a slurry, which will be transported to the primary extraction, using three hydrotransport lines.

In primary extraction, the conditioned oil sands slurry is fed to two trains of separation cells.

These cells remove the bitumen from the sand, which yields a froth mixture of bitumen, water and clay.

The froth is sent for further treatment in the secondary extraction, where it is mixed with a solvent and undergoes two stages of countercurrent settlers to remove asphaltenes and excess sand and water. The bitumen is then sent to a solvent recovery unit to remove the solvent and prepare the bitumen for shipping.

The project has been designed to optimise and protect land use by applying the latest technology and approaches to tailings management and reclamation processes. Existing and future water-quality standards and environmental regulations will be met or exceeded throughout the life of the project. The project will aim to return all disturbed land as close as possible to a natural state.

Value
The estimated cost to develop the project is estimated at C$13.5-billion.

Duration
The project is scheduled to produce first oil as early as the forth quarter of 2017.

Latest Developments
The final investment decision to develop the project was announced in October 2013.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Fort Hills, tel +1 403 296 4000.
Suncor investor enquiries, tel +1 800 558 9071 or email invest@suncor.com.
Teck Resources VP investor relations and strategic analysis Greg Waller, tel +1 604 699 4014 or
email greg.waller@teck.com.
Total E&P Canada, Saphina Benimadh, tel +1 403 538 8153 or fax +1 403 571 7595.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Magazine Managing Editor

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Showroom

ESAB showroom image
ESAB South Africa

ESAB South Arica, the leading supplier of high-end welding and cutting products to the Southern African industrial market is based in...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
ASTPM
ASTPM

Established in 1983, the ASTPM is an industry association and representative body of the welded carbon steel tube and pipe manufacturers of South...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.058 0.899s - 145pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now