Ashley Finan, 2006

1
Nuclear Energy and Oil Sands?

• Ashley FinanMassachusetts Institute of
  TechnologyDepartment of Nuclear Science
  Engineering Life Cycle Assesment
  KickoffNovember 3rd, 2006, 830am-130pmUniversi
  ty of Calgary

2
Canadas Oil Sands Industry

• Goal To maximize returns in a way that is
  socially and environmentally responsible
• Threats
• Volatility of natural gas prices
• Increasing natural gas demand
• Labor and materials shortage
• Mounting GHG emissions
• Other environmental damage

3
Research Proposal

• Integration of Nuclear Power with Oil Sands
  Extraction Projects in Canada
• A cooperative effort between MIT and the
  University of Calgary Life Cycle Assessment
  Group.
• Time Frame November 2006 May 2007
• Goal Assess the feasibility, economics, and life
  cycle costs and benefits of nuclear power use in
  bitumen extraction and processing.

4
Focus Points

• Natural gas savings
• Greenhouse gas emissions reductions
• Analysis of the nuclear safety issues
• Water usage
• Practical implementation challenges

5
Objectives

• Define a range of commercial applications
  including steam production for SAGD, power
  production, and hydrogen production in support of
  bitumen upgrading facilities.
• Define the nuclear safety issues and regulatory
  requirements that must be resolved to support
  project implementation for each reactor
  technology.
• Establish the basis for public discussion and
  public policy formation for key issues related to
  the application of nuclear technology in the oil
  sands business.

6
Summary Questions

• Nuclear energy addresses some of the issues that
  the oil sands industry is facing, but introduces
  its own as well.
• To evaluate the costs and benefits of the
  introduction of nuclear, a study should be done
  that considers oil industry requirements and
  conditions, as well as the current readiness of
  the nuclear industry.
• Should the options look promising, the white
  paper will serve as a starting point for
  discussions with the public and the regulator.
• Should the nuclear option look dreadful,
  attentions will focus elsewhere.