Glossary of terms
Biodiesel
A biodegradable transportation fuel for use in diesel engines that is produced through the transfer of organically- derived oils or fats. It may be used either as a replacement for or as a component of diesel fuel.
Biofuel
A fuel made from renewable biological sources. Biofuels include ethanol, methanol, andbiodiesel. Biofuel sources include, but are not limited to: corn, soybeans, flaxseed,rapeseed, sugarcane, palm oil, raw sewage, food scraps, animal parts, and rice.
Biomass
Plant material such as wood, grains, agricultural waste, and vegetation that can be used as an energy source.
Bitumen
Petroleum that exists in the semisolid or solid phase in natural deposits – it is themolasses-like substance which can compromise anywhere from 1 to 18 per cent of the oil sand.
BPD or B/SD
Barrels per day.
CANDU
Canada Deuterium Uranium. It's a Canadian-designed power reactor of PHWR type (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor) that uses heavy water (deuterium oxide) for moderator and coolant, and natural uranium for fuel.
Cellulosic Ethanol
Ethanol derived from plant material such as switchgrass, wood chips instead of food grade grains such as corn. Its production is much more energy efficient than that for conventional ethanol.
Convero
AMEC web-based integrated project management system
Decommissioning
The retirement of a facility, including decontamination and/or dismantlement.
Downstream
The refining process of crude oil into finished fuel products.
E&C
Engineering and construction.
Energy-Efficiency Ratio
A number representing the energy stored in a fuel as compared to the energy required to produce, process, transport, and distribute that fuel.
EPC
Engineering, procurement and construction.
EPCM
Engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance. EPCM also refers to engineering, procurement and construction management.
FEED
Front-end engineering and design.
FPSO
Floating, production, storage and off loading vesse
lnfrastructure
The structural elements that provide the framework supporting an entire structure. The term has diverse meanings in different fields, but is perhaps most widely understood to refer to roads, airports, and utilities. These various elements may collectively be termed civil infrastructure, municipal infrastructure, or simply public works, although they may be developed and operated as private-sector or government enterprises.
InSAR - Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar
The technology is used to protect people, wildlife and the environment by monitoring areas threatened by landslides and earth fissures.
In situ
In its original place; in position; in situ recovery refers to various methods used to recover deeply buried bitumen deposits, including steam injection, solvent injection and fire floods
Midstream
Processes that go beyond simple separation and dehydration, but are typically not as advanced as refinery processes. Generally involving LNG, LPG, GTL, CTL, CTM, etc.
Potash
Any of several compounds containing potassium, especially soluble compounds such as potassium oxide, potassium chloride, and various potassium sulfates, used chiefly infertilizers.
Pyrolysis
A unique process that chemically breaks down organic materials, literally cracking their molecules, by heating them up in an oxygen-starved chamber. It's a closed process that doesn't involve combustion, so emissions are strictly controlled, and three materials emerge at the end of it: a synthetic methane-like gas, a diesel-like oil and carbon-rich char.
Programme Management
The process of managing multiple ongoing inter-dependent projects. Programme management provides a layer above project management focusing on selecting the bestgroup of programs, defining them in terms of their constituent projects and providing aninfrastructure where projects can be run successfully but leaving project management to the project management community.
Project Management or PM
The application of modern management techniques and systems to the execution of a project from start to finish, to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, quality, time and cost, to the equal satisfaction of those involved.
Topsides
Facilities for processing oil, water and gas; the upper processing section of an offshore oil or gas production platform.
Upstream
The exploration, production and transportation of oil and gas.