RE:Big boys going after Waseca play because it's greener Goign after the Waseca play becasue of improved technology that allows heavy oil extraction without the expense of mining and disposal of waste rock and the energy cost of extraction with steam. That technology is CHOPS.
In the late 1920s, the first discoveries of high asphaltene-content heavy crude were made in the Canadian heavy-oil belt, particularly in the Lloydminster area. These heavy oils were ideal for making asphalt products. Wells in this region used relatively small perforations, typically 10-12 mm in diameter, and pump jacks were limited in their production due to the slow flow of highly viscous oil, yielding around 8 to 10 m3/d or even less. Sand was a common challenge, with about 1% present in the more viscous oils. Surprisingly, operators found that wells continuing to produce sand often yielded better results, and attempts to exclude sand with screens usually led to reduced production. Waste sand was even used to raise local gravel roads.
In the 1970s and 1980s, as oil prices sharply increased, there was a surge of interest in the heavy-oil resources of the region, attracting international companies with advanced screen and gravel-pack technology. However, these efforts often led to impaired productivity or total well failure. Many inactive wells equipped with expensive screens and gravel packs remain to this day.
The introduction of progressing cavity (PC) pumps in the 1980s marked a turning point for the nonthermal heavy-oil industry in Canada. Although the early PC pumps had limitations, advancements in quality control and design resulted in longer lifespans and fewer issues. These pumps eliminated the rate limits of beam pumps, allowing operators to change their approach to well management. Sand, once seen as a problem, became an asset because more sand meant more oil. Well productivity increased beyond the previous average of 4 to 5 m3/d. The goal became clear: initiate and maintain sand influx. Old, inactive fields with low recovery rates could be profitably rehabilitated using large-diameter perforations and PC pumps. More efficient methods for sand separation, transportation, and disposal were developed.
CHOPS (Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand) is an evolving production technology with strategies for workovers, sand disposal, and enhanced recovery methods (such as waterflooding and pressure pulsing) advancing rapidly. With its moderate operating costs and no need for thermal energy, CHOPS has gained substantial interest as a primary production method. The main limitation is the lack of refinery capacity for upgrading heavy oil, as it contains high levels of carbon, heavy metals, and sulfur, making it unsuitable for conventional refineries. Specialized upgraders are required to convert it into synthetic crude oil, which can then be processed in traditional refineries.