A flurry of projects have been revived since Jan. 1, 2010; interestingly, the majority use in situ technology. Here’s a round-up:

• Husky Energy Inc. is proceeding with its $2.5 billion Sunrise oil sands project in northern Alberta. The firm announced Jan. 20 that it had completed front-end engineering and design work for the project’s first phase, which company officials say will yield 60,000 barrels per day using Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology. Well pads are being built and site prep for central facilities continues, with construction anticipated to start in the second half of 2010. Phase 1 production will begin in 2014. Husky estimates Sunrise contains 3.7 billion barrels of proven reserves.
• Total E&P and ConocoPhillips Canada announced Jan. 19 that the second phase of the Surmont oil sands project is moving ahead. Initial construction will begin in 2010. Gross production is pegged at between 27,000 and 110,000 barrels per day using SAGD technology. Phase 2 won’t begin production until at least 2015. It’s expected Surmont will yield 2,500 construction jobs and 300 permenant operating positions.
• Despite fears of renewed labor shortages, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. has given a green light to its Horizon and Kirby projects. The Horizon mine began producing last year and is expected to ramp up to 110,000 barrels per day. CNR expects Kirby, yet another in situ operation, to produce 45,000 barrels per day, but it must first gain regulatory approval.
• Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell, in spite of acitivty at Scotford and its Muskeg River Mine, was labelled a black sheep after the company signalled it would look to conventional energy projects for new production. Plans to scale oil sands production from a 250,000 bpd outlook to 700,000 bpd have been shelved. Still, the firm is seeking regulatory approval to expand operations (from 12,500 bpd to 80,000 bpd) at Carmon Creek north of Peace River, the Edmonton Journal reports. Following the pullback, Calgary Herald columnist Deborah Yedlin argued Shell was out of step with the oil patch.
• Suncor is moving ahead on Firebag 3, another in situ effort. Work is also progressing on the first stage of ExxonMobil and Imperial Oil’s $8 billion Kearl megamine.
• A smaller firm, Calgary-based Osum Oil Sands Corp., is seeking regulatory approval for a 35,000 bpd in situ project in Cold Lake.