Pengrowth starts commercial steam operations at Lindbergh thermal project

Dec. 16, 2014
Pengrowth Energy Corp., Calgary, reported the startup of commercial steam operations at Phase 1 of its Lindbergh thermal project in the Cold Lake area of eastern Alberta.

Pengrowth Energy Corp., Calgary, reported the startup of commercial steam operations at Phase 1 of its Lindbergh thermal project in the Cold Lake area of eastern Alberta.

“First steam is a significant milestone for the Lindbergh project as it represents the completion of construction and commissioning of the facilities and is the last major milestone before first oil,” said Derek Evans, president and chief executive officer (OGJ Online, Nov. 4, 2014).

For the past 34 months, Pengrowth has operated a pilot project at Lindbergh with two well pairs producing about 1.6 million bbl of bitumen. November production averaged 1,760 b/d. The pilot demonstrated lower-than-expected steam/oil and diluent blending ratios and faster-than-expected reservoir response to steam, the company said.

Pengrowth said the initial 12,500-b/d commercial project has “robust economics” that make it able to generate positive cash flow “even in a low oil price environment.” The project includes 23 well pairs and central processing facilities.

By yearend 2018, with two expansion phases, Pengrowth expects bitumen production to reach 50,000 b/d.