Latest News

Important Announcements

06/22/2010 JACOS' Expansion Project Application and Public Notification
JACOS' Hangingstone Expansion Project application has been deemed Administratively Complete. Joint Public Notices will be posted on June 29, 2010 in several newspaper publications in Ft. McMurray, Edmonton, Calgary and Lac LaBiche. A copy of the application and EIA is available on our website.

02/02/2009 JACOS Final Terms Of Reference
Alberta Environment has given JACOS its Final Terms Of Reference for the Hangingstone SAGD Expansion project.

09/08/2008 JACOS Open House
JACOS will be hosting Open House events in the Fort McMurray Area. Click on the button to see more details.

05/08/2008 Press Release
Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited (JACOS) today announced proposed expansion plans for its Hangingstone oil sands operation.

Public Disclosure Document

SAGD Method

The selection of Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology for the Hangingstone project was based on the success of the Underground Test Facility (UTF) project in which our major owner, JAPEX was a participant.

SAGD technology uses hot steam to melt the bitumen and allow it to flow. The steam is delivered to the reservoir through a long horizontal well drilled from the surface. The hot bitumen is brought up through a second horizontal well located approximately 5 meters below the injection well.

The image to the right shows a basic illustration of the SAGD process. The red arrows represent steam being injected into the oil sands through the injection well (middle circle). The yellow arrows represent bitumen and condensed water flowing into the producer well (lower circle).