Tatarstan may become pioneer in adopting new technology of bitumen oil production

Specialists of the republican oil industry have considered the opportunity of using an advanced foreign technology for producing bitumen oil from oil-bearing sands at a meeting in RT Government House today.

The meeting was held by first RT vice-premier Ravil Muratov with participation of Aide to RT President Rinat Sabirov, Director general of JSC “Tatneftehiminvest-holding” Rafinat Yarullin, deputy minister of energy Irina Larochkina, academician of RT Academy of sciences Renat Muslimov.

Brack Capital Energy Limited officials presented their technology.

The company’s Director general Rami Wates informed that new technology implies extraction of bitumen from oil-baring sand using special equipment.

According to the BCE representatives, development of the technology started in 1980s in Canada where sands contain much oil. However, oil was a cheap product that time and explorations were stopped. In 2005 BCE started working in this area again, and first pilot unit was launched last year in China. There are no similar patented technologies in the world, the company’s executives say.

In Russia, the explored reserves of bitumen oil in oil-bearing sands make 350 mln barrels, many reserves were found in Tatarstan. Thus, new technology is supposed to be tested in republic.

BCE is willing to produce units for extracting bitumen oil in Tatarstan, open a research center and build a plant producing oil extraction units in future, Rami Wates said.

First RT vice-premier confirmed that new technology is interesting for republic and presented parameters meet requirements of the Tatarstan oil industry. He addressed specialists with requirement to consider prospects of adopting new technology in Tatarstan in the nearest time.