Ridgeline Energy Services Inc. (Ridgeline) announces that it has signed another development agreement with a major North American oil and gas producer (Client) to install one of Ridgeline’s Single Train Commercial Installations (STCI) at an oil production facility in the Brintnell heavy crude oil field near Wabasca-Desmarais in northern Alberta, Canada. The Client’s operation is in a heavy crude oil pool which was originally developed using primary recovery techniques, transitioning to water-flooding, and more recently utilising a polymer flooding process. Polymer flooding is an enhanced oil recovery method using water soluble polymers to increase the viscosity of flood water, for the displacement of crude oil from porous reservoir rocks. Use of the polymer flood adds value through increased production, higher recovery factors and increased reserves.
The Client ultimately targets to have close to 90% of the oil pool under polymer flood with target production rates reaching 80,000 barrels of oil per day. Ridgeline will install one of its newly constructed STCI’s on site to demonstrate the ability to treat water for the Client’s re-use and recycle needs. Ridgelines treatment of the Client’s process water is expected to enhance the economics of their oil recovery process. The site’s full operating flow rates are projected to be 150,000 barrels per day of waste water to be treated for up to 15 to 20 years. Pre-treatment of source water for polymer hydration will also be included in the development agreement.
Dennis M. Danzik, the inventor of Ridgelines technology, commented, “Having proven our technology commercially on a gas shale hydraulic fracturing operation, and recent initiation of a project on an oil shale formation in Texas; we look forward to establishing our technology in the treatment of water from polymer flood applications. We believe that our process is ideally suited for polymer enhanced oil recovery methods.”
Tony Ker, CEO of Ridgeline commented, “We look forward to deploying this latest installation, which we believe can reduce the operating costs of polymer floods on a broader commercial scale, as we have done for hydraulic fracturing. Ridgeline is currently running waste water treatment costs very close to conventional waste water disposal options. In each application of our technology, we are also able to reduce pump and tanker truck utilization and traffic. “
Mr. Ker continued, “Another benefit of Ridgeline’s proprietary system is the ability to scale our systems up in a modular configuration. Our core system is the same equipment independent of the size of our client’s needs and time frames for expansion. This allows Ridgeline to initially install smaller systems and add to them as the client’s flow rates increase. We feel the ability for the Client to align capital costs with expansion gives Ridgeline a strong competitive advantage.”
The water treatment services will be provided by Ridgeline through the Eau Claire Partnership. The Eau Claire Partnership is a 50/50 joint venture between Dennis M Danzik and Ridgeline Energy Services Inc.. The water treatment technology is exclusively licensed to the Eau Claire Partnership by DEJA II, LLC.
