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Regulatory Archive

The following section provides links to the various documents related to Laricina’s regulatory application process for oil sands development.

Development Applications

Saleski Pilot

The Saleski Pilot is a 60 percent Laricina-owned project to construct and operate an 1,800-barrel-per-day bitumen recovery scheme. Laricina is project operator.

In July 2009, Laricina received ERCB and Alberta Environment regulatory approval for its Saleski Pilot. On September 25, 2009, Laricina filed an amendment which proposed to add solvents to the base SAGD process. This amendment was approved by the ERCB on April 30, 2010. The addition of solvents will help to lower the steam requirements while maintaining bitumen production rates. This modification resulted in minor changes to the surface processing facilities in order to incorporate conventional diluent treating and solvent recovery systems.

The use of a SAGD-based recovery scheme at Saleski will be a first for the carbonates. The Saleski Pilot will allow Laricina to better understand the geological framework and technology necessary for oil recovery within the Grosmont Formation.

Construction of the pilot facility is now nearing completion and steaming is scheduled to begin prior to year end 2010. First oil from Saleski is expected in 2011.

The Saleski Pilot consists of:

  1. A small pilot-scale central processing facility, including conventional diluent treating and solvent recovery systems.
  2. A single well pad with three SAGD well pairs.
  3. An access corridor, borrow pits, camp site, sumps and source water and disposal wells.
  4. A storm water retention pond.

The original application is available in PDF format and may be downloaded for offline viewing and printing:

(Note: This document's menu may not function properly on all browsers. To avoid any potential problems, please update Adobe Acrobat to the latest version which has been tested with this PDF.)

The amendment document is available in PDF format and may be downloaded for offline viewing and printing:

Copies of the applications are available for viewing at the following locations:

  • Wabasca Public Library
    Wabasca, Alberta
    Telephone: 780-891-2203
  • Energy Resources Conservation Board
    Information Services, Calgary Office
    Main Floor, 640- 5 Avenue S.W.
    Calgary, Alberta T2P 3G4

Website: www.ercb.ca

  • Register of Environmental Assessment Information
    Alberta Environment
    111 Twin Atria Building
    4999 – 98 Avenue
    Edmonton, Alberta
    T6B 2X3

Click here to view the Notice of Application (PDF – 20 KB)

Germain Commercial Demonstration Project

The Germain Commercial Demonstration Project, 100 percent-owned by Laricina, is a 5,000-barrel-per-day bitumen recovery scheme utilizing a combination of thermal and solvent-assisted processes.

In October 2009 Laricina received ERCB and Alberta Environment approval for its original 1,800-barrel-per-day pilot project at Germain, the application for which was filed in October 2007. During the following two years, Laricina continued to develop its understanding of the Grand Rapids Formation through additional drilling, lab studies and other operating projects.

As a result of this additional work and increased knowledge, an amendment was filed in November 2009 to increase the capacity of the project to 5,000 barrels per day. This amendment was approved by the ERCB and Alberta Environment in October 2010. The Commercial Demonstration Project offers several advantages over the original pilot. Notably, it incorporates solvent injection, diluent treating and water recycling. These modifications are expected to result in improved product value, a lower steam to oil ratio and carbon emissions for the same volume of bitumen produced by purely thermal processes, such as SAGD. The Commercial Demonstration Project will be located slightly east of the original pilot project location, which will readily accommodate future Germain growth potential.

Engineering design to transition from basic SAGD to solvent-cyclic SAGD was underway as of early 2010. Laricina is targeting a late 2012 start-up of steam injection.

The Germain Commercial Demonstration Project consists of:

  1. Central processing facility.
  2. Single well pad with 10 SAGD well pairs.
  3. Soil storage area.
  4. Equipment lay-down and staging area.
  5. Observation wells, groundwater monitoring wells, water source wells and water disposal wells.
  6. Electrical substation and utility corridor including roads, gathering lines and power lines.
  7. Associated infrastructure such as storage tanks, surface run-off pond, flow lines and construction and operations camps.

The Commercial Demonstration Project amendment document is available in PDF format and may be downloaded for offline viewing and printing:

(Note: This document’s menu may not function properly on all browsers. To avoid any potential problems, please update Adobe Acrobat to the latest version which has been tested with this PDF.)

The original Germain Pilot application is available in PDF format and may be downloaded for offline viewing and printing:

Copies of the application are available for viewing at the following locations:

  • Wabasca Public Library
    Wabasca, Alberta
    Telephone: 780-891-2203

  • Energy Resources Conservation Board
    Information Services, Calgary Office
    Main Floor, 640- 5 Avenue S.W.
    Calgary, Alberta T2P 3G4

Website: www.ercb.ca

  • Register of Environmental Assessment Information
    Alberta Environment
    111 Twin Atria Building
    4999 – 98 Avenue
    Edmonton, Alberta
    T6B 2X3

Where Energy
Meets Innovation

Laricina is advancing in situ technology and innovation, through its forward thinking approach and practices. Our ideas begin with people whose knowledge is based on years of in situ experience, redefining and shaping several of the processes we are implementing today.

Visit Saleski Virtual Tour

Saleski Virtual Tour - Click on this image to take a virtual tour of Laricina’s Saleski project.

Ideas in Action

Watch our latest technological developments and innovations. View our video gallery.
SAGD Video Gallery

Photo Gallery

See what's going on at Laricina's in situ operations and who's making it happen. View our Photo Gallery.
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