Most of the heavy oil and bitumen produced in Western Canada is transported through pipelines to refineries in North America. Prior to transportation, the high viscosity of those fluids must be reduced by either dilution with a light solvent or upgrading. The high costs associated with handling diluents has increased the interest in upgrading; that […]

In this project, we develop a framework to use the data from fiber sensing technologies to smart monitoring of Oil and Gas Reservoirs. The project involves extensive lab experiments simulating different monitoring conditions. Different configurations for installation of sensing equipment will be examined. The optimum location of tubing will be also determined. Signal processing methods […]

Along with the development of Industry 4.0, the Oil and Gas Industry has employed Digital Twins as new way to lower cost, monitor assets, optimize maintenance, and minimize downtime by creating the connection between the physical world and the digital world. The digital oilfield collect enormous amounts of data from sensors, measuring devices, and other […]

Sand production during extraction of bitumen in oil sand industry is the most significant challenge which results in many operational problems such as erosion of downhole and surface equipment, collapse of the formation, and subsequently a dramatic increase in capital and operating costs of the production plant. Mesh weaves are currently used to reject sand […]

Transportation of oil and gas through pipeline networks remain a crucial infrastructure for sustainable economic growth in Canada. Pipeline wear and damage will remain a major concern as it can lead to catastrophic failures causing environmental and economic damage if undetected. For easier detection of damage on a large network of pipelines, an array of […]

Recent pipeline projects in Canada and the US have attracted lots of attention due to their importance for our future economy and environment. In the proposed project University of Alberta and Shawcor propose to work together towards developing E-smart pipelines and creating defect free system. We will utilize the vast amount of emerging and cutting-edge […]

In an effort to ensure pipelines continue to operate in a safe condition, various inspections and assessments are completed on a continual basis during their operating lifespan. These assessments include radiographic or ultrasonic examinations, forms of non-destructive examination (NDE), of circumferential girth welds formed between multiple pipe sections. The purpose of this project is to […]

Tungsten carbide-based coatings are used to protect oil field equipment from wear and corrosion. The coatings are carbide-metal composites and are applied by a spraying process. By applying the coatings it is possible to extend the lifetimes of critical equipment such as pumps and valves, and avoid unplanned outages. The spraying process used to deposit […]

In the upstream pipelines, the application of the internal pipeline coatings with specialized polymer has been utilized to protect pipeline from corrosion and abrasive wears. The coatings are rearranged or re-lined when the coating wears out. However, there is no direct and continuous monitoring for the integrity of internal pipeline coatings. Thus the rearrangement or […]

Petroleum coke (PC) is a by-product of the extraction of crude oil from the Oil Sands in northern Alberta and has been shown to effectively remove total acid-extractable organics from oil sands process-affected water. This treatment may also lead to an increase in some heavy metals in the treated water and it is important to […]

Carbon dioxide is produced from the combustion of fossil fuels and as a by-product of many chemical processes. The increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has now been decisively linked to global climate change. The use CO2 as a carbon-building block has attracted much attention due to its low cost, ease availability, and its […]

The use of fossil fuels for energy has led to the significant emission of greenhouse gases from the stationary and automobile sources. Methane (CH4) is an abundant source of fuel found in large quantities in natural gas reserves or produced synthetically is an alternative fuel for motor vehicles, large track transportation, marine application because of […]