Sensors for Surface Oil Sands Mining and Bitumen Extraction

ARC is the centre for new sensor development for the oil sands industry. Our sensors and measurement systems reduce losses, improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Industry has recognized new measurement systems as a critical need that could reduce the loss of bitumen by as much as 25 per cent. At a production rate of 1 million barrels of oil a day, that would equate to 25,000 barrels per day.

ARC and Syncrude came together to tackle this issue and developed a set of sensors that won an ASTech prize in 2007 and are now being offered to other oil sands operations:

• Tailings Oil Analyzer (2 units ) one after the Plant 5 Primary Separation Vessel and one after the Froth Treatment Plant
• Near InfraRed Analyzer placed on the conveyor to measure bitumen content of the mined oil sands
• K40 Potassium Isotope Analyzer for measuring clay content in the mined oil sands (can be placed on a conveyor or the hydrotransport pipeline)
• Froth Middlings Interface Vision System

In addition to these sensors, we are working on:

• ShovelSentry, which is a bucket tooth sensor that monitors breakage and wear
• online wireless sensors that measure pipeline thickness and various chemicals in oil sand slurry
• sensors for tramp metal detection
• measurement tools for solvent losses in tails