All Issue

2026 Vol.63, Issue 1S Preview Page

Research Paper (Special Issue)

Economic Evaluation of CO2-using Steam and Gas Push for Eco-friendly Oil Sands Production

친환경적 오일샌드 생산을 위한 이산화탄소 활용 SAGP공법 경제성 평가

Sunghyun Kim1
,
Namhwa Kim2
,
Hyundon Shin2
,
Kwanghyun Kim23
,
Changhyup Park4
,
Kyungbook Lee15*
김 성현1
,
김 남화2
,
신 현돈2
,
김 광현23
,
박 창협4
,
이 경북15*
1Department of Geoenvironmental Sciences, Kongju National University, Gongju, Korea
2Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, Korea
3Resource Exploration and Development Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon, Korea
4Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
5Institute of Earth System Research, Kongju National University, Gongju, Korea
1국립공주대학교 지질환경과학과
2인하대학교 에너지자원공학과
3한국지질자원연구원 석유·미래에너지연구센터
4한국지질자원연구원 석유·미래에너지연구센터
5강원대학교 에너지자원공학과, 5국립공주대학교 지구시스템연구소
*Corresponding Author
28 February 2026. pp. 100-109
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

The feasibility of CO2-using steam and gas push (SAGP) was evaluated via numerical simulation considering carbon tax policies. The cumulative steam–oil ratio (cSOR) of steam-assisted gravity drainage was 4.90 due to the loss of heat to the overburden rock. In contrast, the cSOR of the SAGP (CO2 0.5 mol%) was lower (2.27) because the SAGP formed a low-thermal-conductivity, noncondensable gas layer at the top of the steam chamber. The economics of the SAGP were analyzed based on the net present value (NPV), incorporating carbon tax scenario in Alberta, Canada. The results indicated that the carbon emission intensity and NPV of SAGP were 27.5% (0.37 tonCO2eq/m3) lower and 74.2% higher ($32.46 MM), respectively, than those of steam-assisted gravity drainage. CO2-based SAGP is a sustainable alternative that can provide economic and environmental benefits in the context of increasingly stringent carbon regulations.

Keywords
steam and gas push
CO2 emission reduction
non-condensable gas
oil sands
CO2 sequestration

본 연구는 탄소세 정책을 고려하여 CO2 기반 SAGP(steam and gas push)공법의 적용 타당성을 전산시뮬레이션으로 평가하였다. BlackGold 광구 대상 연구 결과, steam-assisted gravity drainage공법은 상부 열유실문제로 cSOR(cumulative steam-oil ratio)이 4.90까지 증가하는 한계를 보였다. 반면, SAGP공법(CO2 0.5 mol%)은 스팀챔버 상단에 열전도도가 낮은 비응축가스층을 형성하여 cSOR을 2.27로 개선하였다. 또한 알버타주 탄소세 인상 시나리오를 반영한 NPV(net present value) 기반 경제성 평가 결과, SAGP공법은 NPV를 74.2% 향상($32.46 MM)시키면서도 온실가스 배출강도(carbon emission intensity)를 27.5% 저감(0.37 tonCO2eq/m3)하였다. 이를 통해 CO2 기반 SAGP공법이 강화되는 탄소규제환경에서 경제성과 친환경성을 동시에 확보하는 지속 가능한 대안임을 확인하였다.

키워드
SAGP공법
이산화탄소 감축
비응축가스
오일샌드
이산화탄소 지중저장
References
1

Aronczyk, M., McCurdy, P., and Russill, C., 2024. Greenwashing, net-zero, and the oil sands in Canada: The case of Pathways Alliance, Energy Research & Social Science, 112, 103502.

10.1016/j.erss.2024.103502
2

Austin-Adigio, M. and Gates, I.D., 2019. Non-condensable gas co-injection with steam for oil sands recovery, Energy, 179, p.736-746.

10.1016/j.energy.2019.05.034
3

Butler, R.M., 1999. The steam and gas push (SAGP), Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, 38(3), p.54-61.

10.2118/99-03-05
4

Canbolat, S., 2020. Assessment of SAGD heat transfer mechanism via noncondensable gas co-injection, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 195, 107936.

10.1016/j.petrol.2020.107936
5

Canbolat, S., Akin, S., and Polikar, M., 2004. Evaluation of SAGD performance in the presence of non-condensable gases, Presented at the Canadian International Petroleum Conference, Alberta, Canada, p.8-10.

10.2118/2004-222
6

Computer Modelling Group (CMG), 2024. STARS user guide version 2024.10, CMG, Canada.

7

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), 2023. Canada's greenhouse gas quantification requirements-greenhouse gas reporting program, No. En81-28E-PDF, Canada, 165p.

8

Gates, I.D. and Larter, S.R., 2014. Energy efficiency and emissions intensity of SAGD, Fuel, 115, p.706-713.

10.1016/j.fuel.2013.07.073
9

Gong, H., Yu, C., Jiang, Q., Su, N., Zhao, X., and Fan, Z., 2022. Improving recovery efficiency by CO2 injection at late stage of steam assisted gravity drainage, Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 6(4), p. 276-285.

10.46690/ager.2022.04.02
10

Government of Alberta, 2023. Alberta greenhouse gas quantification methodologies, Version 2.3, Canada, 225p.

11

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2021. Climate Change 2020-Mitigation of Climate Change, WHO and UNEP.

12

Jamshid-nezhad, M., 2022. Steam alternating non-condensable gas injection for more heavy oil recovery, Energy, 240, 122476.

10.1016/j.energy.2021.122476
13

Kim, M. and Shin, H., 2018. Development and application of proxy models for predicting the shale barrier size using reservoir parameters and SAGD production data, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 170, p.331-344.

10.1016/j.petrol.2018.06.044
14

Kim, N., Jo, H., and Shin, H., 2024a. Field-scale SAGD performance evaluation utilizing homogeneous reservoir model based on vertical wells, Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers, 61(3), p.208-221.

10.32390/ksmer.2024.61.3.208
15

Kim, N., Shin, H., and Lee, K., 2023. Feature engineering process on well log data for machine learning-based SAGD performance prediction, Geoenergy Science and Engineering, 229, 212057.

10.1016/j.geoen.2023.212057
16

Kim, S., Kim, N., Shin, H., Luo, X., and Lee, K., 2026. Impact of non-condensable gas selection on CO2 mitigation and economic viability in steam and gas push, International Journal of Energy Research, 2026(1), 9930010.

10.1155/er/9930010
17

Kim, S., Shin, H., Park, C., Chen, Z., and Lee, K., 2025. A review of design factors in steam and gas push for eco-friendly oil sands production and its field application in Canada, Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 15(1), 8.

10.1007/s13202-024-01903-7
18

Kim, S., Shin, H., Park, C., Min, B., Chung, S., and Lee, K., 2024b. Analysis of non-condensable gas injection timing in eMSAGP method for oil sands reservoir with thief zone, Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers, 61(3), p.182-190.

10.32390/ksmer.2024.61.3.182
19

Lee, J. and Babadagli, T., 2021. Mitigating greenhouse gas intensity through new generation techniques during heavy oil recovery, Journal of Cleaner Production, 286, 124980.

10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124980
20

Mohan, V., Su, Y., Wang, J., and Gates, I.D., 2022. Rich solvent-Steam assisted gravity drainage (RS-SAGD): An option for clean oil sands recovery processes, Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 8, 100463.

10.1016/j.clet.2022.100463
21

National Inventory Report (NIR), 2025.12.29., https://www.alberta.ca/albertas-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-performance

22

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2025.08.06., https://data-explorer.oecd.org/

23

Pratama, R.A. and Babadagli, T., 2024. What did we learn from steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) applications in three decades, and what is next?, Geoenergy Science and Engineering, 232, 212449.

10.1016/j.geoen.2023.212449
24

Spirax sarco, 2026.01.12., https://www.spiraxsarco.com/resources-and-design-tools/steam-tables/superheated-steam-region

25

Yang, S., Huang, S., Jiang, Q., Jiang, G., Zhou, X., and Yu, C., 2024. An innovative in situ solvent generation enhanced SAGD technique: Mechanism analysis based on numerical simulation, Fuel, 364, 131020.

10.1016/j.fuel.2024.131020
26

Zhang, S., Li, X., Jiang, Y., Zhang, Z., Sun, X., and Wang, H., 2021. Physical modeling of nitrogen slug operation in Xinjiang SAGD projects - Fundamental roles of NCG in SAGD process, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 203, 108642.

10.1016/j.petrol.2021.108642
27

Zhang, Y., 2017. Performance study of SAGD with non-condesing gases in oil sands reservoirs, MS Thesis, University of Calgary, 118p.

Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국자원공학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국자원공학회지
  • Volume : 63
  • No :1
  • Pages :100-109
  • Received Date : 2026-01-13
  • Revised Date : 2026-02-13
  • Accepted Date : 2026-02-20
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.32390/ksmer.2026.63.1.100
Journal Informaiton Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
Online Submission
  • NRF
  • KOFST
  • crossref crossmark
  • crossref cited-by
  • KCI 문헌 유사도 검사
  • orcid
  • open access
  • ccl
Journal Informaiton Journal Informaiton - close