The Athabasca region is one of the world's largest heavy oil provinces. (Photo: Rannveig S Stangeland)
NAOSC operates 275,200 acres (1,110 square kilometres) of oil sands leases located in the Athabasca region of Alberta, north-east of Edmonton. This is one of the largest heavy oil provinces in the world. Statoil acquired NAOSC earlier this year for about USD 2 billion.
The Leismer demonstration project is the first lease to be developed in the NAOSC portfolio. First production is planned for late 2009/early 2010.
The project entails production from 22 horizontal well pairs linked to four well pads. A processing facility will generate steam which is injected under ground to make the heavy oil less viscous.
It will have the capacity to produce 10,000 barrels of bitumen per day.
The NAOSC portfolio is expected to yield more than 200,000 barrels per day at the end of the next decade.