Laricina seeks single-well SAGD at Saleski

Laricina Energy Ltd. has amended its application for first-phase commercial development of its Saleski oil sands acreage in Alberta to use cyclic steam-assisted gravity drainage in a single horizontal well.

Most SAGD projects use parallel horizontal wells, one for steam injection and the other for production. Earlier this year, Laricina said it was considering development via cyclic steam stimulation (OGJ Online, July 11, 2012).

The first phase of the Saleski project targets the Upper Devonian Grosmont carbonate reservoir.

“The Saleski pilot has shown the unique character of the Grosmont, specifically the high level of permeability and rapid mobilization of bitumen,” said Glen Schmidt, Laricina president and chief executive officer.

Among other changes to the application, Laricina will focus initial commercial development on the Grosmont C zone. It continues to test the D zone.

It also seeks to increase steam capacity to reflect a steam-oil ratio of 3.9, with a projected operating cumulative SOR of 3.5, to accommodate higher injection pressure for a cyclic process. The initial application was based on an SOR of 2.6.

The company has cut the number of wells in its application to 32 single wells in the Grosmont C to be drilled from a single well pad. It originally applied for 40 wells-10 well pairs each in the Grosmont C and D zones.

It now targets initial steaming in Saleski Phase 1 in the third quarter of 2015. First-phase production capacity remains 10,700 b/d, and solvent-cyclic SAGD remains in the development plan.

The Saleski pilot has production capacity of 1,800 b/d of bitumen.