News Release 31 MAY 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OIL FROM A STONE - A FABULOUS NEW INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT

SPECIAL MEDIA INVITATION TO REVIEW THIS WORLD CLASS DISPLAY DURING THE GRAND OPENING AT THE ENERGEUM

Join Katie in her quest to get...

Finding oil is one problem. Getting it out of the ground - that's another. It's amazing we can even do it! Discover why, with a hands-on look at the hot science and cool new technologies that make Alberta a world leader in oil production! Kids from eight to 80 can test, probe, experiment - and uncover the fascinating science behind the slippery world of producing Alberta's black gold.

It's fun, it's new, it's gooey too! And it's at the Energeum now! Slide on in for a oilfully good time!

GRAND OPENING, TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1999

Sponsored as gift to the community by the Petroleum Society of CIM, as part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations, this new exhibit is entirely the work of talented Calgary companies. Developed in partnership with the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and the Calgary Science Centre, with support from many companies and individuals.

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This news release is also available on the EUB Website at http://www.ercb.ca

For further information please contact:

Ellen Gasser, Curator

Backgrounder

Oil From A Stone Cool Science and Hands-On Technology at the Energeum

Alberta accounts for 66% of all the energy produced in Canada 58% of the conventional oil, 80% of all natural gas, and 100% of bitumen and synthetic crude.

Yet, even for Albertans, myths and misconceptions about oil continue to exist for example, the notion that oil lies in "pools" beneath the earth's surface, like some giant underground storage tank just waiting to be pumped up to the surface.

The fact is oil is trapped in tiny pores in underground rock, and Alberta leads the world in getting this oil out, using a combination of cool science and hotshot technology. And now we can show you how we do it!

The rock, the oil, the science and technology, all come together at the Energeum in a brand new hands-on exhibit called OIL FROM A STONE guaranteed to both teach and entertain kids from eight to 80 years of age. And the best part is.IT'S FREE!

A 50TH ANNIVERSARY GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY

This fabulous interactive exhibit is a result of the talents, skills and generosity of many participants. However, the entire project was made possible through the sponsorship of the Petroleum Society of CIM, in partnership with the EUB (Alberta Energy and Utilities Board) and the Calgary Science Centre.

The Petroleum Society wanted to commemorate their 50th Anniversary in 1999 by helping to create an exhibit that would highlight some of the work their members do, illustrate some of the newest technologies in the oil industry, and be interesting and fun for the public and school children. The display was originally conceived by Dr. Don Flock (former Director of Special Projects for the Petroleum Society), Ellen Gasser, Curator of the Energeum and Lorne Perry, Designer with the Calgary Science Centre.

From there, the concept was brought to life by a variety of Calgary companies. Exhibit design and working drawings by PowerHouse Architecture. Prototypes created by the Petroleum Recovery Institute (PRI). Sign illustration by Pennan Inc. Video production by InSync Communications, with the assistance of Sperry Sun, PRI, the Computer Modelling Group and the talents of "Doc Rock" (Tony Eyamie) and "Katie" (Kaitlin Kirk). The Horizontal Drilling display was built by Borealis Exhibitions, and sponsored by Sperry Sun Drilling Services, a Halliburton Company. Construction, fabrication, and installation of all other exhibit pieces by F& D Scene Changes.

The result of their efforts is stunning, colourful and fun! There are 12 different interactive components, each of which will help visitors understand a different concept of oil production.

THE INTERACTIVES THE HEART OF THE EXHIBIT

The "Oil From A Stone" display was constructed so that there are many ways to tour the exhibit. Each interactive display has its own story to tell.

Oil From a Stone - Entry Archway
This includes a list of donors for the display. The main sponsor, the Petroleum Society of CIM was also involved in seeking contributions of time, expertise and funds from various companies and individuals toward the project.

Guess How Much Oil?
Four cylinders of oil are related to four sandstone core samples. One cylinder indicates how much oil you could get out of that core sample if you COULD get it all out. The other three cylinders show how much oil you could get out of that same sample using natural pressure, waterflooding, or horizontal drilling technologies. (P.S. We never get it all)

Take a Closer Look
This is a wall of core samples and lift-up panels meant to help visitors understand the concept that oil is trapped in tiny pores or holes in rock. Some of these holes are so small, they can't be seen with the naked eye, yet they still hold oil.

Pump Up the Pressure Make Oil Flow
A display that helps to demonstrate the concept of natural pressure - the pressure that oil is under in the reservoir due to compression of the water and natural gases that are usually found with the oil. Blowouts rarely occur any more in the oil business, but natural pressure is the cause of such accidents. Oil companies use the natural pressure of a reservoir to help make the oil flow out, but only about 20% of the oil can be obtained using natural pressure. Over 80% is left in the ground. That's why so many new technologies have been created to get more oil out of the ground. This is what "Oil from a Stone" is all about!"

Push It Out Let Water do the Work
This is the business of enhanced oil recovery via waterflooding. The physical principal at work is that oil and water do not mix, therefore water can be used to push oil out of the reservoir. Waterflooding can increase the amount of oil we get to 35 to 50% of what's underground. A lot more oil comes up in this model than on the natural pressure one.

Heat it Up Make Sticky Oil Flow
Another technology used in enhanced oil recovery: Steam heating of bitumen in the oil sands. Bitumen is the name of the oil in the oil sands, and it is too sticky to flow up a well. However, if it is heated, using steam, it can become more liquid (or less viscous) and flow more easily. There are two main types of steam heating: Huff 'n' Puff, and SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage).

Dare to Pour
Dare to Pour is a simple demonstration of the different viscosities (or thicknesses) of oil that can come out of the ground. The three oil types are conventional oil, heavy oil and bitumen. Take a chance and see which one you think will stay in the beaker above you when you tip it!

Drill in Different Directions Use Teamwork to Strike Oil!
Sponsored by Sperry Sun Drilling Services - a Halliburton Company, this exhibit's purpose is to help visitors better understand how horizontal drilling works, and the technologies and teamwork required to drill a successful well.

Pick a Pipe Choose Which Way to Drill
More horizontal drilling. This time the concept is that a company can get more oil, and get it faster, while creating less environmental damage. A vertical well only intersects a small part of the reservoir. Not all the oil will flow to that well since some of it is too far away. Companies will often drill more than one well into a reservoir to get at more of the oil (called infill drilling). But there is a limit to how many wells can be drilled. One horizontal well can cut across a reservoir and drain oil from a large area, using only one well pad. The company gets more oil and uses less land.

Mix it Up
This is a large "magnifying glass" full of oil, water and gas. Spin it as hard as you like, but in the end, the oil, water and natural gas won't stay mixed. A scientific principle that we use in inventing ways to get the oil out like waterflooding.

The Giant Rock and Ant
There are several concepts addressed with this display:

How Small is Small? We've magnified a sandstone core sample so that every grain of sand looks like a boulder! Yet even at this magnification, an ant would still need a magnifying glass to see the spaces (or pores) between the sand grains. Kids can climb through this giant rock and discover the holes or pores that exist in the rock.

Discovery Pores The "pores" contain items that are all made of petrochemical products, i.e. they're made from oil and gas. There's a hidden pore inside the rock tunnel filled with children's toys!

Shake Hands Small holes, or pores exist between the sand grains in the magnified rock. Some connect and some don't. Kids can shake hands with their friends through the pores, and experience the concept of permeability. A good reservoir rock must have pores to hold the oil, but the pores must also be connected so that the oil can flow out of the rock to the well.

Connect the Pores - Another magnifying glass full of plexi-glass "sliders" and silver ball bearings. This display is a continuation of the concept of permeability, but introduces the technology of fracturing. Fluids such as water, oil, acid, and alcohol are forced under pressure into the rock to fracture it. The fractures are not very wide, but can several hundred metres long sometimes! Materials called proppants are pushed in with the fluids to keep the fractures open once the fluid is removed. The oil then flows down the fractures much faster than it can from pore to pore.

Videos

Four short videos are available on two TV monitors within the exhibit. One, the adventures of "Katie" and "Doc Rock" helps children and adults alike understand how oil was formed, how it is trapped in tiny holes in rock, and just how difficult it is to get out. The other three videos illustrate the technologies of waterflooding, horizontal drilling and SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) using excellent computer graphic images supplied by Sperry Sun Drilling Services and the Computer Modelling Group (CMG).

THREE KEY MESSAGES OF THE EXHIBIT

• Oil is trapped in tiny pores in underground rock. Not in underground pools! Having the oil trapped in this rock makes it very hard to get out.
  
  
• We cannot get all the oil out of the rock. With natural pressure alone, we only get 20%. The oil industry has developed amazing technologies to get more oil out of the rock.
  
  
• If natural pressure was the only method available to get oil from the reservoir, the oil industry in Alberta would have ended years ago. The invention of new technologies to get the oil out of the reservoir rock, and to get bitumen from the oil sands, continue to make Alberta a world leader in oil recovery.

IN CONCLUSION

Oil from a Stone will be housed at the Energeum until the year 2000, when the Energeum, complete with this new exhibit, will be transferred to the Calgary Science Centre. During the time it is at the Energeum, over 20,000 visitors, including 8000 school children, will have the opportunity to experience Oil from a Stone on their own, or through various school or group programs offered by the Energeum. Once it moves to the Calgary Science Centre, this audience will increase to up to 100,000 visitors per year. The exhibit marks an exciting first step in the creation of a revitalized Energeum at the Calgary Science Centre for school children, Albertans and their visitors to enjoy. It is also a good step toward educating Albertans about the oil industry and the amazing technologies being developed every day by Calgarians and Albertans.

ENERGEUM HOURS

Open Monday to Saturday, 10:30am to 4:30pm, May through August. (Monday to Friday the rest of the year).
Admission: Free.
640 5th Avenue S.W. Ph. 297-4293.

OIL FROM A STONE

THE PARTNERS

THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM:

Is a member-based nonprofit organization of over 3000 people who work in all aspects of the petroleum industry. The mission of the Society is to promote the advancement and sharing of technology in petroleum exploration, production, transportation and marketing through publications, meetings, courses, and networking. The Petroleum Society was founded in 1949 and is celebrating it's 50th Anniversary during 1999. The Society has established a 50th Anniversary educational trust fund, to fund a number of projects of lasting value to educate the public about the work of its members and to commemorate its 50th year. The largest project thus far is the Oil From a Stone display.

THE ALBERTA ENERGY AND UTILITIES BOARD:

Is a regulatory agency within the Ministry of Energy. Its mission is to ensure that the development of Alberta's energy resources takes place in a responsible manner in the public interest and that Albertans receive safe and efficient utility service at rates that are fair and reasonable. One of the EUB's responsibilities is the dissemination of energy resource information to industry, government and the public. In 1983, the EUB opened an energy interpretive centre the Energeum at its main office in Calgary to fulfill part of this information mandate.

THE ENERGEUM:

Is a 325 square metre facility that focuses on the story of Alberta's energy resources, including oil, natural gas, oil sands, coal, hydro, and alternate energy, the transportation networks used to deliver these commodities to market, their wise use and conservation. This is done through interactive exhibits, scale models, computer programs, a fibre optics map, theatre and a variety of hands-on education programs for school groups and the public. Since 1983, the Energeum has attracted an average of 25,000 visitors a year, with about half taking part in educational programs.

THE CALGARY SCIENCE CENTRE:

Is a leading attraction in Southern Alberta with close to 130,000 visitors per year. The centre is dedicated to encouraging an interest in science and technology among children and adults, providing science education in fun and engaging ways. In 1996, the CSC completed Phase I of a major redevelopment plan, with the renovation of their former planetarium into the Discovery Dome, a state-of-the-art multi-media theatre. Further 5 year redevelopment plans call for the addition of new exhibit space and a focus on three main themes for the facility: Energy, Life and the Future. The incorporation of the Energeum into the facility around the year 2000, and the further development and revitalization of the Energeum by the year 2005, including the addition of a permanent space to house it, will address the first of these themes in an exciting and engaging manner.