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The International Centre for Heavy Hydrocarbons (ICHH) is the successor organization to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands. On October 26, 1998, the UNITAR Centre Governing Board voted:

  1. to continue a Centre with a broader scope better reflecting industry and sponsoring company goals, and
  2. to disassociate from UNITAR. The UNITAR Centre had been unique as it was the first all industry supported Centre, established in 1981.
ICHH has the opportunity to pursue new areas of interest as defined in the mission statement and make better use of the Centre's resources.

International Centre for Heavy Hydrocarbons Ltd

Registered U.S. Not for Profit Corporation, Oklahoma

www.sooneraccess.state.ok.us/corp_inquiry

Filing Number: 2100711263
Effective Date: 3/26/2003
Registered Agent:
David K. Olsen
839 Colony Drive
Bartlesville, OK 74006

Applied for 501(c) 3 status with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service
Currently soliciting sponsorship. If you have found this site useful to your studies, please help us support our website. Contact director@oildrop.org.

We are asking individuals to contribute to the growing collection of electronic information on heavy hydrocarbons. We are looking for photographs, lessons learned, case studies, tours of historic heavy oil producing areas, tours of production sites and upgraders / refineries, and to build simple electronic explanations with graphics for educating school children and the public. We need people to help convert conference proceedings and studies to electronic copy. We also need volunteer technical translators for English to Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and Russian.

1998 Quarterly Reports

1997 Quarterly Reports

1996 Quarterly Reports

1998 Quarterly Reports

First quarter of 1998.

This quarter major steps were made toward achieving the goals of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands and advancing the projects of the Centre.

Description of Work:

  • The 16th Governing Board meeting of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands was held March 3, 1998 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The next Governing Board meeting will be October 26, 1998 in Beijing, China, the day before the start of the 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands. A Governing Board meeting is also planned for Geneva, Switzerland during the first week of December 1998.

  • Minutes of the 15th and 16th Governing Board meetings and the draft 1998 Business Plan will be sent to Governing Board members by April 15, 1998. Members of the Governing Board, the UNITAR Executive Director and the Centre Director are pursuing actions items identified (assigned) in the minutes.

    The subcommittee of the Governing Board assigned to assist the Centre Director refocus and expand the Centre is making progress and will have recommendations for the Governing Board by mid summer.

  • Progress by the Conference Organizing Committee and Technical Committee for the 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands is highlighted below:

  • The Preliminary Program (in English) is being distributed to the 2,800 people on the Centre’s mailing list and to 400 addresses through UNITAR (Geneva). Additional copies in Mandarin were distributed by CNPC.

  • The Preliminary Program, registration, housing accommodations, events, post-conference technical and cultural tours, maps, currency exchange, passport and visa applications, weather conditions, and a description of Chinese customs and business culture are also available from the Centre’s web site at www.unitarhots.org

  • As of March 31, 1998, 70% of the manuscripts for the technical program have been received. Manuscripts are being edited and formatted for inclusion in the Proceedings. Select papers are being converted to PDF and posted on the Centre web site. The Organizing Committee plans to publish and distribute the Proceedings at the Conference.

  • The Centre has been working with authors to help them complete their manuscripts. Unlike previous UNITAR Conferences, authors will not be permitted to make presentations without receipt of their manuscript.

  • A draft abstract program book has been assembled and will be updated in late April based on the technical papers received. The pocket-size program book lists the authors, presenting author, paper abstract and will contain an insert of the final technical program. The final technical program (presentation schedule for individual papers) will be printed a few weeks prior to the Conference and inserted into the abstract book the week before the Conference.

  • Re>quests for financial assistance to attend the 7th Conference have been compiled and are being analyzed. Each of the participants in the assistance program are working their way to the 7th Conference, either working on part of the Conference or assisting the Centre in 1998 work plan tasks.

  • Mr. Douglas Lanier, President of Chevron Petroleum Technology Company, Houston, will be the keynote technical speaker. His presentation will summarize the world scene and present a view of the future in line with the theme of the Conference: "Heavy Oil – A Major Source of Energy for the 21st Century."

  • Seven plenary session speakers have been solicited and will make presentations to the entire Conference audience: five will cover the heavy oil and oil sands industry in their country (past, present and future); one will cover the chemistry of heavy oil and bitumen, and the last will summarize downstream processing options that are available to convert heavy oil and bitumen, to higher value, clean-burning fuels. These presentations will provide conference participants a common ground and help them select topics for the three days of technical presentations when five concurrent sessions are held.

  • Post-conference technical tours in China include visits to either of two heavy oil producing areas, a tour of refineries or a tour of the oil sands deposits within the country. Four post-conference cultural tours offer opportunities to see some of China’s most famous cultural sites and cities.

  • Planning and preparation for the 7th UNITAR International Conference are on schedule.

  • The Centre's web site (www.unitarhots.org) continues to expand and acts as it’s principal information / communications source. Of the manuscripts received for the 7th Conference, 23% used electronic submission (email) within the web site. Most manuscripts were received intact. However, graphics from numerous different programs remain a problem and authors had to submit disks containing their graphics.

  • The web site contains a viewable, sortable and downloadable oil sands database (USA completed and Canada in progress) and heavy oil database (USA completed, Canada and Venezuela in progress). These are the first of a number of databases the Centre plans making available on the Internet.

  • Over the last few months, the Centre Director has discussed with current, former, and prospective Centre members their expectations of the UNITAR Centre. They expressed goals as well as specific company goals. Each company is looking for good, tangible return on its investment. Companies are encouraged by the Centre’s progress, causing a number of former members to reconsider membership.

  • Membership applications have been sent to a number of companies as a result of discussion and meetings with the Centre Director. By the October Governing Board meeting, a number of new members are anticipated. This additional funding and industry insight will allow the Centre to pursue additional tasks in support of the Centre’s goals.

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Second quarter of 1998.

Description of Work:

  • The 16th Governing Board meeting of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands was held March 3, 1998 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The next Governing Board meeting will be October 26, 1998 in Beijing, China, the day before the start of the 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands. A Governing Board meeting is also planned for Geneva, Switzerland during the first week of December 1998.

  • Progress by the Conference Organizing Committee and Technical Committee for the 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands is highlighted below:
    • • The Centre distributed the Preliminary Program (in English) to the 2,800 people on the Centre’s mailing list and sent 400 copies to UNITAR (Geneva). The Conference Organizing Committee in Beijing distributed hundreds of additional copies in English and Mandarin.

    • The Preliminary Program, registration form, description of housing accommodations, events, post-conference technical and cultural tours, maps, currency exchange rates, passport and visa applications, weather conditions, links to airlines that serve Beijing, and a description of Chinese customs and business culture are available from the Centre’s website at www.unitarhots.org

    • Manuscripts were due on March 1, 1998. About 60% of the authors submitted their manuscripts by March 31, 1998. Repeated attempts to obtain the remainder, even with an extension of 120 days did not collect all manuscripts. About 10% of the abstracts accepted did not submit their manuscript as of June 30, 1998. Those abstracts/papers have been dropped from the program. Unlike previous UNITAR Conferences, authors will not be permitted to make presentations without receipt of their manuscript.

    • Manuscripts have been edited and formatted for inclusion in the Proceedings. Select papers were converted to PDF and posted on the Centre website. The Organizing Committee plans to publish and distribute the Proceedings at the Conference. Both an English (Centre) and Chinese edition (Conference Committee) are being prepared. The Centre will deliver the English copy on July 20, 1998 (this is 35 days behind schedule due to the late receipt of manuscript and the extensive editing required). Distribution of Proceedings before the Conference would be a first. The earliest publication of Proceedings was 6 months after the 6th Conference (1995). That was a great improvement from the two-year after the Conference that was required for 3rd Conference (1994).

    • A pocketsize Abstract/Program Book has been assembled which lists the presenting author, co-authors, company affiliation, and paper abstract (as originally submitted). The booklet will contain an insert of the final technical program (presentation schedule for individual papers). The final technical program will be printed a few days prior to the Conference.

    • Copies of slides and the notes that authors will use have been collected by the Centre and forwarded to the Conference Committee in Beijing. Simultaneous translation of the presentations will be made based on the notes supplied by authors. Authors are behind on supplying their slides and notes.

    • Requests for financial assistance to attend the 7th Conference have been compiled and are being analyzed. Each of the participants in the assistance program are working their way to the 7th Conference, either working on part of the Conference or assisting the Centre in 1998 work plan tasks.

    • Mr. Douglas Lanier, President of Chevron Petroleum Technology Company, Houston, will be the keynote technical speaker. His presentation will summarize the world scene and present a view of the future in line with the theme of the Conference: "Heavy Oil – A Major Source of Energy for the 21st Century." The text of this presentation is available on the Centre’s website.

    • Seven plenary session speakers have been solicited and will make presentations to the entire Conference audience during the afternoon of October 27, 1998. Five plenary speakers will cover the heavy oil and oil sands industry in their country (past, present and future). One speaker will cover the chemistry of heavy oil and bitumen. The last speaker will summarize downstream processing options that are available to convert heavy oil and bitumen to higher value, clean-burning fuels. These presentations will provide conference participants with a common ground and help them select sessions they want to attend. The technical presentations during October 28, 29 and 30 will be conducted as five concurrent sessions.

    • On the afternoon of October 26, 1998, the Centre, Petrojet Systems and a major oil field service company will host a three-hour class on horizontal and multilateral well design, drilling, completion and diagnosis. This is intended to help fulfill the training mission of the Centre.

    • Post-conference technical tours in China include visits to either of two heavy oil-producing areas, a tour of Chinese refineries or a tour of oil sands deposits within China. Four post-conference cultural tours are available and these offer opportunities to see some of China’s most famous cultural sites and cities.

    • The Centre purchased advertisement space for the Conference in the July 1998 issue of Journal of Petroleum Technology (page 88), a Society of Petroleum Engineers publication that is distributed to 40,000. The Centre prepared news releases and announcements on the Conference, which have been sent to newspapers and trade publications throughout the world in an effort to publicize the Conference.

    • The Centre’s preparation for the 7th UNITAR International Conference is behind schedule due to late receipt of manuscripts, difficulty with graphics and efforts to edit text and tables to improve readability.

  • The Centre's website (www.unitarhots.org) continues to expand and act as the principal information / communications source. Of the manuscripts received for the 7th Conference, 36% used electronic submission (email) within the website. Most manuscripts were received intact. However, graphics from numerous different programs remain a problem and some authors had to submit disks containing their graphics. Authors submitting slides and notes of their oral presentations have used email for 63% of their submissions to the Centre. Worldwide electronic communication and commerce are slowly improving.
    • • The website contains a viewable, sortable and downloadable oil sands database (USA completed and Canada in progress) and heavy oil database (USA completed, Canada and Venezuela in progress). These are the first of a number of databases the Centre plans making available on the Internet.

    • The Centre posted on the website a survey on viscous cold heavy oil production. This is part of a cooperative program between the French Research Association on Petroleum Exploration and Production, ARTEP, formed by Institute Français du Pétrole, Elf Exploration Production and Total, together with Stanford University and the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands. Viscous oil productivity and recovery by cold production is often much higher than expected, raising questions that have not received definitive answers. This phenomena and its mechanisms are not completely understood and modeling has proven difficult. The survey may provide additional case studies that can help to answer some of the questions of how this recovery mechanism(s) work and what recovery factors can be anticipated from different reservoirs.

    • The Centre is using the Centre’s trial website (limited access) to develop material for two classes that could be conducted over the Internet. This could advance the mission of Centre by providing training without having to physically be present. Major oil field service companies, international oil companies and a number of university professors have found they could use the Internet as a means to expand the audience for their classes and provide economic delivery of technical information. This is a trial to become familiar with Internet class instruction. The syllabus and class notes for a two-day class on Upgrading/Refining and one day class on Remediation/Environmental Cleanup of Oil Production Sites are being assembled. The course syllabus and limited notes would be available as PDF, downloadable by anyone. The instructional material (available for modest fee to cover expenses) would be a non-duplicable, time-limited CD or downloadable file.

  • Over the last few months, the Centre Director has discussed with current, former, and prospective Centre members their expectations of the UNITAR Centre. They expressed goals as well as specific company goals. Each company is looking for good, tangible return on its investment. Companies are encouraged by the Centre’s progress, causing a number of former members to reconsider membership.

    Membership applications have been sent to a number of companies as a result of discussion and meetings with members of the Governing Board and/or Centre Director. By the October 26, 1998 Governing Board meeting, a number of new members are anticipated. This additional funding and industry insight will allow the Centre to grow to a critical size that can pursue additional tasks in support of the Centre’s goals.

  • The subcommittee of the Governing Board assigned to assist the Centre Director re-focus and expand the Centre is making progress and will have recommendations for the Governing Board by mid summer.

  • The Centre Director had the opportunity to deliver a Keynote Address on Heavy Oil to the Chevron Reservoir Management Forum, April 27-29, 1998 in San Ramon, California, USA.

  • Pursuant to the April 29, 1997 Grant agreements between UNITAR (Geneva) and the USDOE for operation of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands, the Centre was below budgeted expenditures at the end of 1997. Under the Grant agreement for the Centre, USDOE will provide UNITAR (Geneva) with a quarterly financial accounting for both the Centre and Conference account funds.

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Third quarter of 1998.

Description of Work:

  • Progress by the Conference Organizing Committee and Technical Committee for the 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands is highlighted below:
    • • The Centre Director edited, formatted and tried to improve the readability of some of the manuscripts that were submitted. This was in addition to helping Dr. Richard Meyer (editor of previous 6 Conference Proceedings) to complete editing before the Conference. Extensive formatting of manuscripts was required to standardize the manuscripts to provide good Proceedings.

    • The Centre prepared an Abstract/Program book and shipped the electronic and paper copy (in English) to the Conference Organizing Committee in Beijing. The Abstract Book will be printed and distributed in English and Mandarin. The booklet lists the presenting author, co-authors, author’s company affiliation, and paper abstract (as originally submitted). The book also contains maps, schedule of events, letters of welcome from various dignitaries, list of sessions, awards, dedication, etc. The booklet will have an insert of the final technical program (presentation schedule for individual papers, list of session co-chairmen, session numbers, and room numbers). The final technical program will be printed a few days prior to the Conference. This is available in English and Mandarin.

    • The Centre distributed all but 15 of the preliminary programs of the 2100 supplied by the Conference Organizing Committee. Programs continue to be requested even though people may not have time to complete registration, visa acquisition and travel arrangements. The Conference Secretary in Beijing has been sending by FAX letters of invitations within 24 hours based on receipt of registration forms.

    • The Centre has been acting as relay point for FAX and email from some parts of the world that have been having difficulty communicating with the Conference Secretary in Beijing. (Confirmation of receipt of forms by FAX or email has been required.)

    • The keynote address, plenary session papers and select papers were converted to PDF and posted on the Centre website to assist those that could not attend and to publicize the Conference.

    • The Organizing Committee will publish and distribute the Proceedings at the Conference. Both an English (Centre) and Chinese edition are being prepared. The Centre delivered the English copy on CD on September 28, 1998.

    • Distribution of Proceedings at the Conference would help facilitate the meeting of authors with those interested in the same area. It reinforces what is heard in the oral presentations and since there are five simultaneous presentations, it offers the chance for those who could not attend the session to contact the presenting author to discuss the paper or expand on the details. This is a first for UNITAR Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands! In the past, the earliest publication of Proceedings was 6 months after the 6th Conference (1995). That was a great improvement from the two-year delay experienced after the 3rd Conference (1994). Publication after the conference reduces the Proceedings effectiveness as the volumes become more of a reference work than instructional media. Distribution at the Conference not only reduces the cost of distribution, but also a few Conference participants may read them on their long flight home. This may increase their interests in what the industry is doing, what the Centre is doing and follow the Conference theme.

    • Copies of notes and slides that authors will use have been collected by the Centre and forwarded to the Conference Committee in Beijing. Simultaneous translation of the presentations will be made based on the notes supplied by authors. In many cases the Centre persisted in the pursuit of authors and there should be greater than 90% of authors who will have provided sufficient materials for translators to prepare in advance of the oral presentation or poster presentation.

    • Requests for financial assistance to attend the 7th Conference have been compiled. Regretfully some applicants would not supply enough information to complete the application process or to comply with UN regulations concerning insurance coverage on supported persons. Based on the Governing Boards and UNITAR’s comments and concurrence the list was approved. Each of the participants in the assistance program are working their way to the 7th Conference, either working on part of the Conference or assisting the Centre in 1998-1999 tasks in the work plan. For most recipients, the assistance was partial support. The September 15, 1998 amendment to the previous Grant agreement between USDOE and UNITAR for operation of the Centre provided additional funds for the Centre to partially support 39 people to attend the 7th UNITAR Conference.

    • Historically and again at the 7th Conference, the Centre will host the Closing Reception at the Conference. This is the opportunity to thank all those who have made the Conference a success, to recognize those individuals and companies who have supported portions of the Conference, and to announce future plans.

    YEAR

    1979

    1982

    1985

    1988

    1991

    1995

    1998

    LOCATION

    EDMONTON

    CARACAS

    LONG BEACH

    EDMONTON

    CARACAS

    HOUSTON

    BEIJING

    MANUSCRIPTS

    107

    142

    152

    207

    188

    160

    201

    PARTICIPANTS

    305

    548

    474

    660

    790

    502

    505

    COUNTRIES

    35

    53

    32

    33

    34

    24

    24

  • The Centre's website (http://www.unitarhots.org) continues to expand and act as the principal information / communications source. Of the manuscripts received for the 7th Conference, 40% used electronic submission (email) within the website. Most manuscripts were received intact. However, graphics from numerous different programs remain a problem and some authors had to submit disks containing their graphics. Authors submitting notes and slides of their oral presentations have used email for 82% of their submissions to the Centre. The notes and slides are often much larger files than the original manuscript and graphics because they are color presentations. Worldwide electronic communication and commerce continue to improve. There have been noticeable improvements within the one year period from submission of abstracts to presentation at the Conference.
    • • The internet has provided an inexpensive method of confirming that FAX and express mail shipments of documents arrive. It also reduces the cost of international telephone calls and FAX.

    • The website contains a viewable, sortable and downloadable oil sands database (USA completed and Canada in progress) and heavy oil database (USA completed, Canada and Venezuela in progress). These are the first of a number of databases the Centre plans making available on the Internet.

    • The Centre is using the Centre’s trial website (access limited to developers working on the project) to develop material for two classes that could be conducted over the Internet. This could advance the mission of Centre by providing low-cost, multi-lingual, off-hours training without having to physically be present. Major oil field service companies, international oil companies and a number of university professors indicate they could use the Internet as a means to expand the audience for their classes and provide economic delivery of technical information. A number of companies have expressed interest in contributing materials as a basis for the courses and their experience in delivery of instructional material worldwide.

    This is a trial project for the Centre to become familiar with Internet class instruction and packaging of multi-lingual instructional materials. The syllabus and class notes for a two-day class on Upgrading/Refining and one day class on Remediation/Environmental Cleanup of Oil Production/Refining Sites are being assembled. The course material is available from numerous groups that the Centre’s sponsors and the petroleum industry have supported to conduct field projects. The materials have not been assembled, packaged and distributed like the Centre is trying to do. The course syllabus and limited notes would be available as PDF, downloadable by anyone. The instructional material (available for modest fee to cover coping expenses) would be a non-duplicable, time-limited CD or downloadable file.
  • Over the last few months, the Centre Director has discussed with current, former, and prospective Centre members their expectations of the UNITAR Centre. They expressed goals as well as specific sponsors goals. Each sponsor is looking for where the Centre and it’s goals fit. They also look at where the goals and membership in the Centre can create contacts and exposure, develop business opportunities, advance the technology and knowledge of their employees, and how the Centre helps sponsors achieve their goals of world leader and world citizens. Companies are encouraged by the Centre’s progress, causing a number of former members to reconsider membership.

    Membership applications have been sent to a number of companies, foundations, government agencies as a result of discussion and meetings with members of the Governing Board and/or Centre Director. By the October 26, 1998 Governing Board meeting, a number of new members are anticipated and a number of prospective members have been invited to attend. Increased interest as shown by more members, their funding, their insight and increased diversity will help the Centre grow to a critical size where it can better pursue the tasks in support of the Centre’s goals as set by the Governing Board.

  • At the 16 Governing Board meeting, a subcommittee of the Governing Board was formed to assist the Centre Director re-focus and expand the Centre. This group will make their presentation and recommendations at the October 26, 1998 17th Governing Board meeting.

  • Pursuant to the April 29, 1997 Grant agreements between UNITAR (Geneva) and the USDOE for operation of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands, the Centre was below budgeted expenditures at the end of 1997. In 1998 the Centre expended funds in line with the 1998 budget. The September 15, 1998 amendment to the previous Grant agreement provided additional funds for the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands to partially support people to attend the 7th UNITAR Conference and to host the Closing Reception at the Conference. Under the Grant agreement for the Centre, USDOE will provide UNITAR (Geneva) with a quarterly financial accounting for both the Centre and Conference account funds.

    On an annual basis (January) UNITAR (Geneva) provides the Centre and Centre members the status of the expenditures of the Centre and by UNITAR Geneva.

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    Fourth quarter of 1998.

    This quarter has been one of the most dynamic in the Centre's 17-year history. On October 26, 1998, the Governing Board in response to UNITAR's March 3, 1998 announcement to phase out the UNITAR Centre voted: (1) to continue the Centre and (2) to disassociate from UNITAR. The new Centre to start January 1, 1999 will emphasize development of heavy oil, oil sands, bitumen, oil shale and residuum. The 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands attracted 505 registrants during the October 27-31, 1998 Conference in Beijing, China. Participants rated the Conference the best that they had ever attended, whether an International Heavy Oil Conference or other. The Governing Board met for a second time this quarter on December 2, 1998 in San Francisco, California. The Board met to finish out the work of the UNITAR Centre and discuss the mission and by-laws of the new Centre.

    Description of Work:

    • On October 26, 1998 the Centre hosted the 17th UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands Governing Board Meeting at the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel in Beijing, China. Major items were a response to Dr. Boisard’s (Executive Director of UNITAR) March 3, 1998 letter stating UNITAR’s desire to phase out the Centre after the 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands and before the end of 1998. The Board voted: (1) to continue the Centre and (2) to disassociate from UNITAR.
      • • A transition team was formed to help the Centre transition to an organization that could pursue, on behalf of sponsors, some of the current Centre activities but emphasize worldwide business development opportunities in heavy oil, oil sands and oil shale.

      • Work plans for 1999, the operating budget and the draft agreement for continuation of the Centre, via an agreement between UNITAR and the USDOE, were not pursued in light of the Governing Board’s action on the future of the Centre.

      • The subcommittee formed at the16th Governing Board meeting to assist the Centre Director re-focus and expand the Centre did not have the opportunity to present their proposed multi-year plan that was included in the meeting agenda.

      • The Conference Organizing and Technical Committees highlighted the technical and social program as well as expectations of Board Members participation in functions during the 7th UNITAR.

      The Centre hosted lunch and dinner for Governing Board Members and their spouses. This provided an opportunity for members to get to know one another, discuss the days events, discuss the future and explore members expectations for the Centre and how that better reflects their individual companies interest.
    • The 7th UNITAR International Conference on Heavy Crude and Tar Sands was held in Beijing, China during October 27-31, 1998. Some of the firsts are highlighted below:
      • • The Abstract/Program book was distributed in both English and Chinese.

      • The two volume Conference Proceedings were distributed in English at the Conference. Volume 1 of the Chinese version was distributed to Chinese participants in early December. Volume 2 will be available in January 1999.

      • Simultaneous translation of authors presentations and questions were made in English and Chinese.

      • Of the 505 participants, 190 were from outside China.

      • Participation, even with depressed oil prices, was close to the level expected.

      • Many participants took advantage of the three technical tours and four cultural tours that were available after the Conference.

      • Letters, emails and FAX from Conference participants indicate that they thought the Conference was the best Conference that they had attended. Comments from participants in the technical program indicate that the industry has made remarkable progress, worldwide. Participants saw the diversity of participants from around the world and the cultural events as an asset. Letters from spouses who attended the accompanying person’s program indicated that they thoroughly enjoyed their travel, were astonished with China, the organization of the Conference and the cultural events.

      • The Centre and the Organizing Committee would like to thank the keynote speaker (Douglas Lanier, Chevron), plenary session speakers, session co-chairman, authors, all participants, conference workers, translators, and the sponsors who made this Conference possible and who contributed to making the Conference a success.

      • The keynote address, plenary session papers and select papers are posted on the Centre website to assist those that could not attend the Conference.

      • An English copy of the 7th Conference Proceedings is available on CD. See Centre website for order information.

      • Funding provided by the Centre’s major sponsors, permitted the Centre to provide partial support to 39 people from throughout the world to attend the Conference.

      The Centre hosted the Closing Reception at the Conference. This provided an opportunity to thank all those who have made the Conference a success, to recognize those individuals and companies who have supported the Conference, and to announce the 8th International Conference on Heavy Oil and Oil Sands. This conference would probably be held in Alberta in 2001.


    • On December 2, 1998 the Centre hosted the 18th UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands Governing Board Meeting at the Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco, California, USA. The meeting was in two parts: the first to discuss the closeout of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands and the second was to formulate, discuss and vote on by-laws of the new organization.

      • • Members discussed closeout items, items requested from UNITAR and the time schedule for closeout.

    • • The mission of the new organization is to "promote responsible development of worldwide heavy oil, oil sands, bitumen and oil shale resources for the 21st century."

      • The Centre hosted lunch and dinner for Governing Board Members and guests. This provided an opportunity to get to know one another, discuss the days events, the future and expound on members expectations for the Centre that better reflect individual government and company interests.

      On December 3, 1998, the Centre arranged and provided transportation for 11 participants to tour the Stanford University Petroleum Research Institute and visit with petroleum engineering and geoscience faculty.
    • Abiding with sponsors desire to have minimum change in the Centre at the current time, the Centre made progress on the phase out the UNITAR Centre and implementation of a new organization.
      • • Letters were sent to UNITAR on items that needed to be transferred to the new Centre.

      • The Centre’s bank account was closed out and administrative items addressed.

      • Draft by-laws based on votes of December 2, 1998, comments received during that meeting, and review by legal consul are being circulated to current UNITAR Centre members.

      • Consensus on by-laws is anticipated in early January 1999. Articles that form the day-to-day operation of the organization are being formulated and will be presented to sponsors after initial approval of the by-laws.

      • Approval of the by-laws is needed such that the organization can be legally established as an international non-governmental organization. This is anticipated in early 1999.

      • As of December 31, 1998, the Centre will no longer use the UNITAR logo and reference to UNITAR except in the historical context of the Centre.

      • The www.unitarhots.org website now points to the Centre’s new website www.oildrop.org and emails to the director can be sent to either director@oildrop.org or dolsen@oildrop.org

      • The Centre is abiding with member’s request that the Centre conduct most of the business electronically over the Internet. An electronic, virtual office is being pursued in the design of communications, databases, and the website.

    • Over the last few months, the Centre Director has discussed with current, former, and prospective Centre members their expectations of the Centre. They expressed goals as well as specific sponsor goals. Each sponsor is considering where the Centre and it’s goals fit. They are also looking at how their input can into the Centre can create contacts and exposure, develop business opportunities, advance the technology and knowledge of their employees. They look at how partnership with the Centre as a member can helps them achieve their goals as world leader in the industry and world citizens. Companies are encouraged by the Centre’s progress, it’s new focus and the opportunities this presents. This is prompting a number of former members to reconsider membership.
      • • Letters concerning potential membership have been sent to a number of companies, foundations, government agencies and international groups as a result of discussion and meetings with members of the Governing Board and/or Centre Director.
    • Pursuant to the April 29, 1997 Grant agreements between UNITAR (Geneva) and the USDOE for operation of the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands, the Centre was below budgeted expenditures at the end of 1997. In 1998 the Centre expended funds in line with the 1998 budget. The September 15, 1998 amendment to the previous Grant agreement provided additional funds for the UNITAR Centre for Heavy Crude and Tar Sands to partially support people to attend the 7th UNITAR Conference and to host the Closing Reception at the Conference. Under the Grant agreement for the Centre, USDOE provides UNITAR (Geneva) with a quarterly financial accounting for both the Centre and Conference account funds.

      On an annual basis (in mid-January) UNITAR (Geneva) provides the Centre and Centre members the status of the expenditures of the Centre and by UNITAR Geneva.

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