One of the most common sights in this areas oil fields are the storage tanks that dot out landscape.  Each producing well has its companion storage tank containing the production of several days pumping.  Typically, trucks visit these storage tanks on a regular basis and off-load oil from the storage tank into the truck.

The truck delivers the oil directly to a refinery or to a "battery".  A "battery" is located in the field and provides facilities to remove sand and water, and treat it in other ways to ready it for the refinery.  From a battery, oil usually moves by pipeline to the refinery or upgrader.

The production of the upgrader also moves on via pipeline; most entering the system of pipelines which supplies oil to Eastern Canadian and Mid-Western United States' markets.

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This section contains information on field storage, batteries, pipelines and trucking- all with special reference to Heavy Oil.

To learn more about Batteries - click here

Pipelines

Pipelines are the major means of transporting crude oils

In some fields, "flowlines" carry crude oil to the battery for cleaning.  After cleaning and treating, oil moves by pipeline to the upgrader or refinery.

Much of our heavy oil is below the minimum pipelining standard of 21.2° API.  Therefore, a diluent must be added.  The most common additive in this area is the liquid gas component of natural gas, called "condensate".  Condensate is easily removed at the refinery and is then recycled.

Shipping pumps establish the pressure (up to 1440 psi) to move the crude along.  Periodic boost pumps are placed along the pipeline's route to maintain this pressure.

Pipelines are closely monitored and controlled by increasingly sophisticated electronic and computerized equipment. They move high volumes of crudes, safely and efficiently to often distant markets in Eastern Canada and the Mid-Western United States.

To learn more about Pipelines - click here

Learn more about OSCAR and other environmental measures