Researchers see short-term oil-sands costs drop
Capital costs declined 3.6% over the past year
CAPITAL costs for oil-sands projects have declined by 3.6% over the past year, while operating costs rose by 5.8%. But the combined costs are expected to rise by 19% over the 2011-14 period, reports the Canadian Energy Research Institute (Ceri). Over the long term, assuming an annual cost inflation rate of 1.1%, the institute forecasts a 51% rise in construction costs in the 34 years from the end of 2010 to 2044. Over the 35-year projection period, the total initial capital required is projected to be C$302 billion ($308 billion) under an energy-security prediction that sees development accelerated in response to geopolitical considerations and C$257 billion under a more moderate realistic a
Also in this section
8 December 2025
The Caribbean country’s role in the global oil market is significantly diminished, but disruptions caused by outright conflict would still have implications for US Gulf Coast refineries
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
