The Orion Project uses Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology to recover bitumen. In SAGD recovery, two horizontal wells are drilled, one above the other. Steam is injected into the upper well. This heats the bitumen and allows it to drain to the lower well from which it is produced. Regulatory approval was received in 2005 to expand the 500-barrel-per-day pilot into a 20,000-barrel-per-day commercial development. The first phase (10,000 barrels per day) of development started up in 2007. Planning for the second phase (10,000 barrels per day) of development is under way.
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