Drilling in the Oil Sands: Water Usage, Development and Innovation

This three-day residential workshop will engage young Canadian leaders in dialogue about water and drilling in the oil sands.  In the oil sands, oil is recovered using one of two methods – mining and in-situ.  For in-situ recovery, drilling techniques are used to extract oil. A common technology used is steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).  In this process, water is heated and converted to steam which is injected into a well.  The steam heats the oil, separating it from the sand so it can be pumped to the surface. Workshop participants will travel to Cenovus’s Christina Lake operations, located 125km south of Fort McMurray, to learn about drilling in the oil sands and water use.

Participants will look closely at water usage in operations, provincial government policies, engagement of First Nations and community leaders, and how these groups work together in managing water within this intensive environment. The purpose of this workshop is to develop future leaders in water resource management and related fields.  Participants will meet in Calgary or Edmonton and travel together to Fort McMurray departing the morning of May 31st and returning late in the evening of June 2nd.  Participants will be accommodated at a local B&B.  Members of the workshop group will engage with one another and with provincial and local experts on a field trip within the region.

There is space for 20 individuals between the ages of 20-35 yrs to participate in the workshop.  All participants are expected to attend the full length of the workshop in order to facilitate, discuss and encourage growth throughout the experience.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications for participation in this particular program must be sent directly to the workshop organizer. Download the invitation above for more information.

• DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION IS MAY 3, 2011.