据道琼斯卡尔加里3月11日消息,埃克森美孚加拿大子公司帝国石油公司周五表示,公司已经向监管机构提出申请批准一个油砂项目,该项目将在下一个十年初投产,设计产能为5万桶/天。
这个建议中的项目的投资将达到20亿加元(15亿美元),似乎是逆潮流而动。受油价持续下挫以及加拿大新的环保政策不确定性的影响,加拿大多数油砂生产商已经取消或推迟了计划中的开发项目。
埃克森美孚控股69.6%的帝国石油公司表示,新的Midzaghe油砂项目将使用新的技术,与现有的抽提技术相比,温室气体排放量将减少25%,同时产量水平可能翻倍。
即使政府批准了该项目,帝国石油公司也并不确定是否将实施该项目。帝国石油公司新闻发言人Lisa Schmidt表示:“申请监管部门批准只是最初的步骤,当前还没有做出投资决定。”
庞晓华摘译自道琼斯
原文如下:
DJ Exxon's Imperial Oil Seeks Approval for New Canadian Oil-Sands Project
By Chester Dawson
CALGARY, Alberta--Exxon Mobil Corp.'s Canadian unit said Friday it has applied for regulatory approval of an oil-sands project that could start daily production of 50,000 barrels early in the next decade.
The proposed project, valued at 2 billion Canadian dollars ($1.5 billion), appears to buck a broader industry trend in which many oil-sands producers have canceled or postponed planned development of projects due to sliding crude prices and uncertainty about the impact of new environmental policies in Canada.
Imperial Oil Ltd., in which Exxon owns a controlling 69.6% stake, said the new Midzaghe project would use a new technology designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and potentially double production levels in comparison with existing extraction methods.
The company remains undecided on whether it will proceed with construction even if the government approves the project. "The filing for regulatory approval is a preliminary step and no investment decision has been made," said spokeswoman Lisa Schmidt.