ConocoPhillips announced it had reached 100,000 bbl/d from its Surmont oil sands operation, read the notice below from their website:
After building the largest single-phase SAGD expansion ever, and temporarily shutting the entire project down in the face of a historic wildfire, we are extremely proud to celebrate a new milestone at Surmont: reaching 100,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). And despite all challenges, we reached this milestone well ahead of our original target.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in this case it took the entire ConocoPhillips family to raise this youngster,” says Perry Berkenpas, senior vice president, Oil Sands. “The significance of reaching this milestone goes far beyond just counting the number of barrels. This really comes down to our people and reflects the tireless efforts of so many who safely delivered this achievement.”
But the team isn’t done yet, as we continue to focus on hitting our ramp-up targets for Surmont.
“Meeting the challenge of an aggressive schedule safely and economically, despite many challenges and distractions, is a tall order,” says Ed Connelly, vice president Oil Sands Operations. “I appreciate the continued effort, commitment and professionalism of everyone, and I am so proud to have safely reached the 100,000 bpd gate. The dedicated operational and safety performance has been tremendous. Congratulations to everyone in Calgary and at site.”
Surmont Quick Facts
- Construction of Surmont phase 1 began in 2004, with first steam following in June 2007 and first production in October 2007.
- In 2010, construction of the second phase of Surmont commenced, with first steam achieved in May 2015 and first production in September.
- On October 21, 2016 Surmont reached 100,000 barrels of oil a day.
- Production at Surmont will ramp-up through 2017, reaching a steam day capacity of approximately 148,000 barrels of oil per day.
- Surmont Phase 2 is the largest single-phase SAGD project ever undertaken.
- Production from this facility is targeted for more than 50 years.