Development of a multigeneration system with underground coal gasification integrated to bitumen extraction applications for oil sands

In this study, a combined system for syngas, bitumen, hydrogen and electricity production is developed and analyzed. The proposed system consists of steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), underground coal gasification (UCG), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and an electrolyser. The present system offers significant practical advantages for the regions, containing both coal and oil reserves such as Alberta region. Coal, as an alternative to natural gas for generating steam, is gasified using high temperature and pressurized steam in underground cavity. The produced syngas is utilized in both IGCC and SOFC systems. By using the excess steam in IGCC, SAGD process is run, and bitumen is extracted as in-situ extraction. In addition, a part of generated power is used in an electrolyser to produce hydrogen. The present system is analyzed in terms of energy and exergy methodologies to assess the performance of the cycles. Additionally, the effects of various system parameters, such as ambient temperature and pressure, syngas temperature, coal and syngas lower heating values, air and steam injection rates on energy and exergy efficiencies of the subsystems and overall system are evaluated. The energy and exergy efficiencies of the overall system are calculated as 19.6% and 17.3%, respectively.