AMEC to do engineering for Ivanhoe’s heavy oil upgrading technology

AMEC has signed an agreement with Ivanhoe Energy to do project management and engineering for Ivanhoe’s patented heavy oil upgrading technology, called “HTL,” on a global basis. AMEC has been working with Ivanhoe on various projects for a number of years, including this new venture.
Among the claimed advantages of Ivanhoe’s heavy oil development technology is that it dramatically reduces the viscosity of the upgraded product, allowing it to be transported by pipeline without the need for blend oils. As well, it produces large amounts of by-product energy as an on-site source for the production of steam and/or power for extracting the oil.
There are large basins of heavy oil around the world, but the resources have not been developed, because the oil is often difficult to transport or expensive to upgrade.
Neil Bruce, AMEC’s Chief Operation officer of natural resources said: “We believe that there is considerable potential in the commercialization of the process. AMEC welcomes the opportunity to continue and further assist Ivanhoe Energy in the development and ultimate deployment of the technology.