At Cold Lake, Alberta, Imperial Oil uses a cyclic steam stimulation process to produce heavy oil from oil sands formations. High pressure steam is generated at central plant facilities. The steam is distributed through a pipeline system and injected into the reservoir at wells located at a distance from the central plant facilities.
Steam injection continues until the oil viscosity is such that the oil can be pumped to surface.
Oil, water and gas are produced during the production part of the cycle and are returned to the central plant facilities. Produced water is mixed with make-up water and is treated and reused as feed water for the steam generators. The produced gas supplements the purchased natural gas used as fuel for the steam generators. The produced oil is processed to remove sand and water. The diluted bitumen is sold to refiners.