Large reserves of heavy bitumen (<10 deg API) exist in shallow, unconsolidated sandstone formations in central and western Alberta. The McMurray, Grand Rapids, Clearwater and Wabiskaw Cretaceous Manville sands comprise the majority of the heavy oil producing zones of this type. Cyclic steam injection, steam drive and steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) are used extensively in this area to produce heavy bitumen at depths where surface mining is impractical. The water-oil relative permeability

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... characteristics of these formations strongly control the ability to inject hot water and/or steam, and the overall conformance and recovery of bitumen from the formations. This paper reviews an extensive database of reservoir condition water oil relative permeability data conducted at temperatures from 10 to 275 °C and presents correlations to estimate water-oil relative permeability character and residual oil saturations for preliminary evaluation purposes to aid in the high level screening of potential future projects in these formations.