[IronJack]

I thought the reason Exxon gave for the pullout was that the kettle extraction process then being considered was just too expensive and the yield too small.

Frankly, I'm not sure the public was ever given a clear reason. Exxon just locked the gates and walked away, taking losses that had to run in the billions.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

An old Exxon hand said the company gave the “extraction” process several names as it matured. I think they were close to something...maybe using the process insitu, without all the breaking.