Completed Projects

Since our inception in 1996, PTAC is proud to have launched over 800 collaborative projects, helping drive innovation in a wide variety of technology areas within oil and gas operations.

2016

2005

2003

  • Pilot Project Designing a Web-enabled Searchable Database of Ecological Research

2002

2001

  • A New Technique for Mitigating Electrical Disturbances Caused by Energizing Generator Transformers

1999

  • Mitigation of Harmonic Distortions in Oilfield Electrical Systems

2014

2008

2001

  • Screening of Alberta Pools for CO2 Injection
  • CO2 WAG Flooding

1999

  • Research and Software Development Project to Reduce Drilling and Completion Costs Associated with Borehole Instability

2003

  • A&D Data Exchange Project

2001

  • Identifying “Sweet Spots” in Basin Centered Gas Accumulations-EGR

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

  • Clean Bitumen Technology Action Plan

2007

2006

2001

  • Crude Oil Document Exchange (CDOX) Pilot

2000

  • Vapex Refinery Upgrading Project
  • In Situ and Refinery Upgrading of Vapex Heavy Oil Production for Increased Value and Reduced Emissions (VAPEX Phase 2)
  • Vapex Engineering and Economics – Phase 3
  • Heavy Oil Vent Gas Utilization
  • Cyclic Solvent-Based Process for Heavy Oil Reservoirs
  • Borehole Stability and Sand Production Risk Assessment Software – Phase 2
  • Thermal Solvent Process – Field Scale Engineering and Economics –Oil sands
  • Foamy Oil Behaviour: Beyond the Cold Production Process-EOR
  • SAGD Application in Reservoirs with Depleted Gas Caps- SAGD

1999

  • Assessment of Heavy Oil Fluid Fathering System Alternatives
  • Increasing efficiency of Tank Cleaning in Heavy Oil Operations
  • Investigation of Mass-Transfer Mechanisms in VAPEX Process
  • VAPEX Refinery Upgrading Project
  • In Situ and Refinery Upgrading of VAPEX Heavy Oil Production (VAPEX Phase II)
  • Development of Full Project Engineering and Economics for VAPEX Process
  • Bio-upgrading for Heavy Crude Quality Improvement
  • Cyclic Waterflood Simulation Study –EOR
  • Role of Microbial Process on Sulfate-Enriched Tailings Deposits
  • Particle Flow Modelling of Oil Sands Excavation
  • Oil Sand Lump Size Estimation by 3-D Sensing
  • Novel Hardfacing Materials System for Oil Sands Industry
  • Online Air-content Determination and Analysis (OSADA) Technology for Oil Sands Slurry Pipelines
  • Production of Rutile Concentrate from Oil Sands Tailings
  • Field Pilot to Remove Pyrobitumen Blockage from Oil and Gas Reservoirs with the PRIstine Process

1998

  • Alternative Artificial Lift Systems for Heavy Oil Applications
  • Heavy Oil Annular Gas Compression Systems
  • PCP Run Life Improvement

1997

  • Artificial Lift Systems for Horizontal Thermal Heavy Oil Wells – Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) Information Sharing Project
  • Field Removal of Fine Solids from Heavy Oil/Water Systems – SRC

2008

  • Hydrogen Fuel Injection Unit (HFI) and Fuel Efficiency Data Collection and Measurement (2008-2007)

2005

  • R&D Oil and Gas Database

2002

  • Water in Crude Oil Emulsion/Study of the Stability of Micron Sized Water Droplets in a Continuous Oil Phase by Molecular Modelling-EOR
  • Supercritical Fluid Extraction
  • A Mechanistic Study on Foamed Gel Technology

2001

  • Improved Formation Evaluation of Carbonate Reservoirs-formation evaluation
  • Water Abatement in Gas Wells-Gar recovery
  • Gravity Stable Waterflooding-EOR

2000

  • Evaluation of Coiled Tubing Serviceability for Sour Service Applications- Production optimization
  • Progressive Cavity Pump Run-Life Improvement- production optimization
  • Enhanced Waterflooding using Toe-to-Heel Displacement-EOR
  • Seismic Velocity Anisotropy and Depth Imaging?
  • Gel-Foam Applications-EOR
  • Water Abatement in Gas Reservoirs-EGR

1999

  • Economically Beneficial Waste Gas Injection for Medium/Heavy Oil Depletion
  • Field Pilot for Water Abatement in Gas Reservoirs
  • Control of Water Coning in Gas/Oil Reservoirs
  • Low Cost, High Performance Diverting and Blocking

1998

  • Logging Tool Specific to Gas Detection?

1997

  • Cyclic Waterflooding Simulation – Epic Consulting
  • Sand Handling and Tank Cleaning – CFER/SRC

1996

  • Acid gas reinjection systems with University of Calgary

2023

2022

2021

Methane Consortia Program:

2020

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

  • Facilitation of Sustainable, Eco-Efficient and Greenhouse Gas Technologies
  • New Flare Burner Designs

2002

2000

1999

  • Onsite Electrical Generation from Flare Gas

1998

  • Low Fuel Pressure Heating Systems for Field Tanks –Production optimization

1997

  • Onsite Electrical Generation from Flare Gas – Mercury Electric/Suncor

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

  • Altering Wettability
  • Current Practices, Future Trends, and Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing in Alberta Tight Oil/Shale Gas

2006

2001

  • Regain Permeability in Tight Gas Reservoirs

2000

  • Improved Water Production Prediction in Carbonates-EOR

2011

2009

2001

  • Treatment of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Water using Constructed Wetlands – Phase III

1999

  • 1999 Seismic Investigation of the Steen River Reservoir

ALBERTA UPSTREAM PETROLEUM RESEARCH FUND (AUPRF) PROJECTS

Over 500+ additional projects related to the development of smart policies, regulations and best practices for the sustainable development of Alberta’s world class hydrocarbon resources have been launched through PTAC’s Alberta Upstream Petroleum Research Fund (AUPRF). To view the full catalogue of completed projects and learn more about this innovative program, visit auprf.ptac.org.

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

  • Grizzly Bear Habitat Mapping and Modeling in Alberta (2004 – 2005)

2004

2003

  • Foothills Model Forest Grizzly Bear Research Project (2001 – 2003)

2002

  • Caroline Animal Health Study
  • Recovery of Caribou Ranges in Alberta, Boreal & West Central
  • University of Alberta Protective Clothing Research

2001

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2019

  • AB Water Tool (2017 – 2020)
  • AB Water Tool – Water Use Reporting
  • Scientific Evaluation and Interpretation of Baseline Groundwater Well Testing Data Available for British Columbia
  • Alternative Water Source Life-Cycle Management Framework
  • Hydropti: A decision support tool for water management in oil and gas unconventional plays

2018

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2019

2018

2017

2016

R&D Projects in conjunction with Coordination of University Research for Synergy and Effectiveness (COURSE):

2000

  • Characterization of Conventional Oil and Gas, Heavy Oil and Bitumen Formations using Low Field NMR Spectroscopy
  • Asphaltene Deposition
  • Intermetallic-Based Alloy Coatings on Steel Structures used in Oxidation, Sulphidization and Carburization Environments
  • Enhanced Oil Recovery by Unrease-Catalyzed, Microbial Calcium Carbonate Blocking
  • In-Line Multiphase Flow Meter Development
  • 2000 Performance Evaluation of Shale for Ensuring Hydraulic Isolation around Thermal Wellbores
  • A New Measurement while Drilling Surveying Technique Employing the Technology of Fiber Optic Gyroscope in a Strap-Down Inertial Navigation System
  • Improving Performance of High Temperature Fuel Cells
  • Combustion Enhancement and Emission Reduction form Flare Stacks Using Passive Jet-Flow Control
  • Optimization of Steam Generator Performance
  • Geotechnical Behaviour of Oil Sands Paste Tailings/Geotechnical Physics of Producing Thickened Tailings (Paste)
  • Development of New Technology to Improve the Equipment Utilization Rate in Mining Operations
  • Research into Cold (25oC) Conditioning of Oil Sands with Regard to Solids Reduction in Froth through Solvent/Demulsifier Nascent Froth and Naphtha/Paraffinic Diluent Prost-Production Froth Treatment Schemes
  • At Face Slurrying: Advancing Innovative Technology for Oil Sands Production
  • Impact of Residual Bitumen Removal Methods on the Separation of Heavy Minerals in the Oil Sands Tailings
  • Evaluation of Miscible and Submiscible Flue Gas Injection for Improved Recovery of Light Oils and Sequestering of Green House Gases

2001

  • Geomechanical – Reservoir Processes of Waste Injection (Disposal) into Unconsolidated Formations
  • Geological Controls on the Isotope Geochemistry of Formation Gases in the Alberta Oilfields
  • Foamy Oil Flow in Cold Production of Heavy Oil
  • Effect of Residual O2 in CO2 for a Miscible Flood/CO2 Sequestration Process
  • Seismic Monitoring for Enhanced Heavy Oil Recovery
  • Investigation of the Erosion-Corrosion Mechanisms in Slurry Flow
  • Intelligent Shovel Excavation in Varying Oil Sands Formation and Bitumen Content
  • Impact of Asphaltene Solvent Interaction on VAPEX Process
  • Scale-up of Dispersion Coefficients in VAPEX Process
  • A Microstructural Approach to Modelling Sand Production
  • Wireless Digital Sensors and Analysis Systems for Monitoring Petroleum Reservoirs
  • Fuel Cell for Conversion of Hydrogen Sulfide
  • Improving Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Operation Using Hydrocarbon Fuels

2002

  • Foamy Oil Flow Modeling Including Non Equilibrium and Mobility Effects
  • Catalytic Solutions for the Mitigation of Hydrocarbon GHG Emissions
  • Laboratory Testing of Novel Sealant for Field Trial Implementation
  • Extraction of Carbon Dioxide as Gas Hydrate from Flue Gases
  • Development of Models to Predict Significant Stress Corrosion Cracking of Pipeline Steels in Near Neutral pH Environments
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Stress Corrosion Cracking
  • Exploration and Wear Corrosion Synergism and Development of Guidelines for Materials Selection and Design
  • Effect of Gas Pressure Induced Dilation on Permeability Change of Oil Sand and Surface Heave
  • Understanding Impact Generated Hydrocarbon Reservoirs
  • Controlled Gas Phase Combustion within Porous Media
  • Geostatistical Characterization of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs
  • Detection of Island Conditions for Distributed Generators
  • Application of Electron Microscopy Techniques in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Research
  • Fuel Cell for Conversion of Hydrogen Sulfide

CANADIAN EMISSIONS REDUCTION INNOVATION CONSORTIUM (CANERIC) PROJECTS

As of January 2023, CanERIC has launched 32 projects, several of which have been completed and can be viewed publicly on the CanERIC website. Through its network of researchers and end-users, CanERIC focuses on activities that facilitate the development and deployment of technologies to reduce methane emissions. To view both active and completed projects and learn more about this innovative program, visit caneric.ptac.org.