Oil Sands are unconventional petroleum resource which contain a naturally occurring mixture of sands, water and clay, which are soaked with bitumen. Oil Sands are produced by lowering the oil viscosity by applying heat or adding solvent by injection, which is because the liquid products do not flow naturally due to their high viscosity. Producing this type of unconventional petroleum could be a highly value-added industry project, and is expected to expand in the longer term due to the fact that there are many undeveloped areas for Oil Sands. Major bitumen deposits are found in such areas as Western Canada and Venezuela. KNOC started oil sand production projects in Athabaca, Canada in 2006, and has been producing commercial oil since 2018. Based on our experience and know-how from this project, we are carrying out government R&D??program on heavy-oil production plant development??and targeting the recovery enhancement of the heavy oil by using a new production method which is eco-friendly, low-carbon technology. Moreover, we are contributing to securing competitiveness on entering plant construction sector of heavy oil industry by developing integrated operation facility and related commercial models.

KNOC has been working on utilizing the depleted gas field in offshore Korea for carbon dioxide storage, which is based on the traditional containment concept of sand reservoirs combined with shale cap rocks. In addition to these conventional designs, we investigate the potential of carbon dioxide storage in basalt layers preferably located within Korean territory. We are currently studying for target basalts in Korea, and performing basalt-CO2 reaction experiments to obtain parameters required for numerical modelings. Once established, these models will help ascertain the feasibility of using carbon dioxide mineralization for the possible extension of current CCS programs in Korea and also for the systematic integration of CCS with blue hydrogen projects.

There are more than a few ways of producing hydrogen as we approach the age of hydrogen economy. The examples are: (1) By-product hydrogen obtained along with the petrochemical process; (2) Reformed hydrogen produced by reacting natural methane gas with water at high temperature and pressure; (3) Hydrogen obtained from water electrolysis. These known industrial processes, however, require heavy cost and are limited in their production capacities, which make it difficult to utilize these processes for large scale hydrogen production. Coming hydrogen society would demand clean and economic production of hydrogen at bigger scale than we can easily imagine. Therefore, as an alternative for the current method of hydrogen production, we are studying the natural hydrogen resources which requires no separate and no considerable energy source for its production. The natural hydrogen is known to be generated at depth, continuously replacing the hydrogen in rock layers located above the source.

We are currently surveying terrestrial environments of Korea for Natural Hydrogen sources and obtaining Hydrogen measurements from soil profiles, which could lead us to the potentials assessments on natural hydrogen enrichment. For these purposes we developed a hydrogen monitoring device of which a patent has been submitted to government authority. We have a strategic plan to expand our land survey so that we may find hydrogen prospects in the future. KNOC占쏙옙s skills and experience on oil and gas exploration/development will enable our team to lead this natural hydrogen project, which would contribute to findings of clean energy source. If we are successful than the natural hydrogen resources will eventually enhance the energy security of Korea and help achieve the national targets on carbon neutrality. Our immediate focus, of course, is the mid to long term study on natural hydrogen by working with experts in academia, private companies, and government officials in Korea.

G&G Team is in charge of managing E&P Technical Data such as seismic and well data. We have set up and managed the archives of E&P data acquired from domestic and overseas for E&P industry and technology development..

• Manage E&P Technical data DB (KOTIS, STUDIO and ProSource)
• Data Transcription (Seismic & Well Data)
• Manage Cores and Cutting Samples