The CANMET Energy Technology Centre (CETC) - Devon is the federal government's primary research group for the development of hydrocarbon supply technologies and related environmental technologies, with an emphasis on oil sands and heavy oil. Canada's oil sands and heavy oil deposits represent one third of the world's useful petroleum resources. Production levels are expected to surpass conventional light and off-shore oil production by the year 2010.

CETC - Devon is comprised of two S&T groups: Advanced Separation Technologies (AST) and the National Centre for Upgrading Technology (NCUT), delivering a range of S&T programs consistent with energy efficiency and sustainable development. CETC - Devon conducts fee-for-service, cost-shared, and task-shared S&T activities and performs exploratory, public-good research in strategic areas such as environmental technologies. By developing hydrocarbon technologies that use less energy and have less environmental impact, CETC - Devon is helping to ensure that Canada's oil industry is a sustainable, environmentally responsible contributor to our energy supply.

CETC - Devon serves a diverse client base in industry and government. The oil sands and heavy oil industry is the primary industrial client; the natural gas and conventional oil industries are also important clients. Besides the major companies in the energy sector, small and medium-sized enterprises are an important focus of CETC - Devon's S&T activities, particularly in the related services sectors and the areas of environmental technologies and engineering specialties. These firms tend to have limited internal research capability and rely on CETC - Devon as an S&T performer. CETC - Devon is also an important local employer, providing more than 100 jobs in Devon and regularly hiring students from Canadian universities.

The CANMET Energy Technology Centre - Devon is located at the Devon Research Centre in Devon, Alberta, about 20 km southwest of Edmonton in the heart of Alberta's oilfield services and oil refining industries.