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Telephone Lake is also a unique
reservoir. In 2013, we successfully
concluded a dewatering pilot project
designed to remove an underground
layer of non-potable water sitting on
top of the oil sands deposit at Tele-
phone Lake. Approximately 70% of
the top water was removed during the
pilot and replaced with compressed
air. While dewatering is not essential
to the development of Telephone Lake,
we believe it could help improve the
SOR by up to 30%, which would en-
hance project economics and reduce its
impact on the environment.
For reference only: We have
a video that clearly demonstrates
the process we use to produce oil
from the oil sands, in case you need
more information:
How is Cenovus setting the stan-
dard for productivity and technologi-
cal development in energy develop-
ment?
We see ourselves as a technol-
ogy company that produces oil and
gas. Every year, we make significant
investments in research and develop-
ment to improve our processes and
our environmental performance. Our
operations are also like big laborato-
ries. We’re constantly innovating and
changing the way we work to make
our operations more efficient and to
reduce our environmental footprint.
Developing new technology is crucial
to our growth and success. Advances
in drilling technology made it possible
to unlock the oil sands we’re devel-
oping today, and it’s critical to keep
improving to ensure we’re increasing
production while minimizing our envi-
ronmental impact. We’re like the smart
phone industry.
We need con-
stant innovation
to succeed.
What do projects in Alberta
mean for sustainable economic de-
velopment in your operating regions
(
including supplier relations and hir-
ing locally)?
We want the communities where
we live and work to be better off as a
result of us being there. We make ev-
ery effort to hire locally, and partner
with organizations that focus on learn-
ing and education; safety and well-
being, and sustainable communities.
Cenovus is an Imagine Canada Caring
company, which means we give one
percent of our pre-tax profits to chari-
table or non-profit organizations.
Our projects
are typically
located in
remote areas
near Aboriginal communities. One
of the ways we work to build lasting
relationships is by formalizing our
relationship through long-term agree-
ments. These agreements outline how
we will work together, communicate
with one another, and mutually benefit
from our relationship over the life of
our projects.
We also look for opportunities to
support economic development. Since
2009,
we’ve spent more than $1 billion
“
We see ourselves as a technology
company that produces oil and gas.”
CENOVUS ENERGY
