An understanding of volumetric sweep and capture efficiency are critical to optimizing SAGD projects. Capture efficiency refers to how much mobilized and heated oil is actually produced. Volumetric sweep efficiency can be estimated reasonably well for SAGD pilots having an abundance of information. A rich data set may include geological, petrophysical, production, injection, pressure, temperature observation and 4D seismic data. With this information, excellent insight into steam chamber development can be assessed. However, determining volumetric sweep and optimal strategies is a problem where data are sparse. This paper summarizes analytical SAGD surveillance methods that estimate volumetric sweep and presents a work flow that can help optimize SAGD processes with limited data. Although the methods each have their assumptions and are not perfect, there is general agreement. The various techniques are corroborated using public core, injection/production, temperature observation and 4D seismic for the Surmont and Christina Lake pilot projects.