AACI is an in-situ heavy oil research and development consortium, initiated in 1983, that partners industry with the government to advance field-focused technologies for Alberta’s heavy oil and bitumen resources. The program’s purpose is to develop novel technologies and improve existing processes related to in-situ recovery of heavy oil and bitumen with significantly reduced energy consumption and environmental impact. Strategic goals of the program are updated every five years and specific projects are established each year as directed by industry. Combining laboratory-scale experimentation, numerical modelling, and field-scale prediction, AACI’s research team works to reduce the risk and uncertainty of initial field testing and follow-on commercial deployment of new oil recovery technologies. The program currently has 7 industrial and 1 government members with a $2 million annual budget.
The Policy & Program Committee of the program sets research strategies and allocates budget
The Technical Advisory Committee identifies challenges and opportunities within the strategic areas and provides advice to researchers and sometimes data and materials in project execution
InnoTech Alberta is the research provider to perform the approved research program and provides feedbacks through reports and workshops
