Understanding hydrotransport: The key to Syncrude's success

Syncrude has entered a new era involving the use of pipeline slurries to co nvey oil sand to the extraction plant. Hydrotransport operations and base p lant operations encounter vast performance differences when processing diff erent types of oil sand. This paper describes the hydrotransport process, i ts history at Syncrude, methods of describing the source ore characteristic and plant performance. The use of this information within Syncrude and how it will be managed on an ongoing basis will also be described.