Canadian Natural’s multi-year thermal development program began with the Primrose/Wolf Lake Oil Sands Project. This project is a thermal in situ operation located approximately 55 km north of Bonnyville in northeastern Alberta. Both cyclic and SAGD technologies are currently employed to produce approximately 80,000 barrels of oil per day. In 2008, Canadian Natural completed of construction and commencement of production at the Primrose East expansion. This 40,000 bbl/d project achieved first production in Q4/08, on budget and ahead of schedule. The major components to the project included expansion of our central treating facility at Wolf Lake, taking capacity to 120,000 bbl/d, and also a new satellite steam generation facility at the Primrose East site. The development, design and construction of Primrose East has proven to be a success. We continue to drill at Primrose North and develop existing operations at both Primrose South and North. The next thermal project that Canadian Natural has under development is the Kirby In situ Oil Sands Project. It is the first project that we are undertaking in the Athabasca – McMurray reservoir and will be using SAGD technology. Regulatory applications were filed in 2007, with Board of Directors sanction in 2010 and earthwork construction began in late 2010. We see the potential to add significant incremental thermal in situ production from our oil sands leases. By executing our defined plan to develop these leases and assuming adequate returns are achievable, we target to grow our thermal in situ production capacity from 120,000 bbl/d to 480,000 bbl/d by 2026. Our thermal operations represent a tremendous value growth opportunity and are an integral part of Canadian Natural’s defined plan.
We also have in situ opportunities on the western edge of our synthetic crude oil mine site, Horizon Oil Sands.