research and deveLopment
Alberta’s provincially funded research organization approaches 100 years
Y
ou’ve come a long way, baby. Alberta has been pursuing innovation in the oilsands since 1920, when it made the decision to create the Scientific and Industrial Research Council of Alberta. Soon renamed the Alberta Research Council, under legendary researcher Karl Clark, the council developed a hot water process for separating bitumen from the oilsands. The council’s first patent—issued in 1929—was for this system, which in modified form is used in all of the province’s oilsands mines.
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In those days, though, there were no efficient ways to turn bitumen into fuel, so the council proposed using it as a road paving material. That was the innovation of the day. Fast forward to the present. Over the last nine decades, the council has morphed from a provincially funded research facility at the University of Alberta to a part of Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures (AITF), focused on building globally competitive commerce in the province. As far as bitumen and heavy oil are concerned, it provides support
to the in situ and surface mining sectors, with a focus on extraction and environmental concerns. The group’s mantra has three parts: increase production, reduce costs and reduce environmental impacts. The organization has three divisions. Applied Research Centres provide fee-forapplied-research services to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of Alberta businesses and operations. The Business Innovation Services division provides commercialization support services and networks
photo iLLustration: jenna o’fLaherty
By Peter McKenzie-Brown