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Heavy Oil, Thermal and SAGD Oil Production

Colt is a world leader in the design and construction of conventional heavy oil and thermal in situ heavy oil production, processing and transportation facilities.

Since our first project in 1973, we have striven to take a leadership role in applying proven and new technologies to reduce the life-cycle costs for our clients.

Our clients include small to major oil producers, pipeline transportation companies, power and cogeneration plants and refining and upgrading facilities.

Expertise

Our world-class heavy oil project expertise includes the following:

  • Oil treating (tight emulsion)
  • Produced water treating
  • Steam generation
  • Brackish water softening
  • Vapour recovery
  • Tank farms/custody transfer
  • Pipeline gathering systems
  • Diluents and Dilbit pipelines
  • Sand handling and disposal systems
  • Cogeneration
  • Alternative fuels
  • SCADA design
  • Distributed control systems (DCS)
  • Remote area logistics
  • New technologies for CAPEX/OPEX reduction
  • Patented process for oil and water treatment
  • Infrastructure design
  • Modular designs
  • Pilot plants/commercial plants

Scope of Services
(Conceptual, DBM, FEED, EPCM/EPC)

We provide design innovation during the early study phases for all types of production and processing alternatives.  From these early studies we then provide detailed E, P, CM or EPC services to construct the selected execution plan through to commissioning, start-up and post start-up operations support.

Since 1973 Colt has worked on the following types of production systems:

  • Primary heavy oil
  • Waterflood, solvent and CO2 injection
  • Thermal projects using CSS, SAGD, steamflood and combined steam/CO2 and steam/solvent-enhanced production techniques
  • Multi-wellpad (drilling/production) designs
  • Fire floods (O2 and air)
  • Project sites with oil gravities ranging from 6° to 18° API
  • Warm and hot lime softening
  • All produced-water filtration methods
  • Measurement of steam, produced oil/water/solids, emulsion production
  • Source water/brackish water softening
  • Atmospheric and pressurized high-temperature oil treating
  • Flash (oil) treating
  • Blended diluent/flash treating
  • Diluent recovery
  • Vapour recovery
  • Water deoiling using IGFs, mechanical skimming
  • Solids separation from produced oil/water
  • Sand cleaning and disposal
  • Evaporators
  • Zero liquid discharge designs
  • Tank storage systems
  • Heat recovery
  • Electrical design including motors, power distribution, grounding and UOS
  • Instrumentation and control valve applications and design, including DSC, PLC, SCADA communications, level control and pressure safety design
  • Gas and fire detection systems along with operations safety design
  • Firewater and foam fire suppression systems
  • Civil/structural engineering for large equipment foundations, buildings, tank foundations, pipe racks, modules, truck loading/off-loading facilities and general infrastructure
  • Environmental engineering for air, water, land pollution prevention and applicable regulatory permitting applications
  • Mechanical and process engineering
  • 2D and 3D CADD using the latest commercial software for the energy industry

Typical Project Experience

Commercial SAGD Projects

Colt has recently completed the design and procurement for several commercial (35 000 – 70 000 BOPD) SAGD projects in northern Alberta.  The scope included the early conceptual designs and were followed by step-by-step gated processes through to preparation of a design basis memorandum (DBM) and front-end engineering and design (FEED). Capital costs and schedules were prepared for ultimate client approval.

The scope included the preparation of the overall project execution plan (PEP), final cost budgets, EPC schedules, preparation of equipment specifications, bid evaluations, detailed engineering design and quality assurance.  As materials and equipment arrived at site Colt provided expediting services, shop inspection, logistics support, construction engineering and support, commissioning support, preparation of as-builts, operating and maintenance manuals, start-up assistance and client operations support after start-up.

Alternative Fuels Studies

Colt has established a strong reputation in applying innovative solutions and new technologies for our heavy oil clients.  We have conducted numerous studies to evaluate and design new methods to replace natural gas as fuel for steam and power generation.  We have evaluated both liquid and solid fuel sources, including design and calculations for heat and material balances, flue gas desulphurization, NOX control, particulate emission control, CO2 treatment and syngas production.  The input of all other engineering disciplines was included to allow creation of CAPEX, OPEX and life-cycle cost estimates.  The ultimate goal is to substitute appropriate alternatives to natural gas that meet current and projected energy-efficiency and emissions-friendly goals for our clients.

Video

Colt Flash Treater