Dr. Tawfik Nasr
Dr. Tawfik Nasr, a scientist at the Alberta Research Council (ARC), has
been investigating the extraction of bitumen from Albertas oilsands for
more than 15 years. Having graduated from the University of Alexandria in
Egypt, he moved to Canada to attend the University of Manitoba and
received his PhD in physics. Nasr came to Alberta to work on a geothermal
project for the University of Alberta, joined ARCs heavy oilsands group
and began developing models for early thermal recovery.
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) systems first appeared in the early
1980s, providing a revolutionary means of drilling for oil. Though a
breakthrough in petrochemical technology, the shortcomings of SAGD were
obviouslarge amounts of water and energy were required, creating harmful
greenhouse emissions. Nasr began to focus on ways of improving these
methods, patenting several inventions that would help reduce SAGD energy consumption.
His various patents include the Expanding Solvent-SAGD and the Tapered
Steam Solvent-SAGD, both improving on the efficiency of the original
design.
Nasr lives in Edmonton with his wife and three children. He has been
working with ARC for 22 years and is a member of the Petroleum Society of
Canadian Institute of Mining, the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the
Canadian Heavy Oil Association.
[<<back]
Copyright © 2003
Heritage Community Foundation All Rights Reserved
|