RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:First Oil now expected in Q4 2015I think it is unlikely the government would do something so formal as to create a partnership. but I can see the government passing a law saying 'No Tailings ponds by (insert date here)'
this would force companies to do R & D to develop their own technology or to buy someone elses technology (hello US Oilsands)
I do know some of the big companies have simlar processes they are developing on their own, but they are not advanced to the point where US oilsands is. They are at least a couple of years behind and if the technology is inferior in any way to the product USO puts out, there is the chance they scrap their project and buy the right to use the US Oilsand patented process.
How such an agreement would work? I dont know.
Maybe just an upfront fee? or a fee plus a royalty per barrel taken out of the ground is most likely.