Upgrader approved
The Energy Resources Conservation Board has given TOTAL E&P Canada the green light to construct and operate a 300,000 barrel-per-day oilsands upgrader in the Alberta Industrial Heartland area of Strathcona County.
In a 68-page decision report, the ERCB places seven conditions on the company. Conditions include achieving a sulphur recovery rate of 99.5 per cent within six months of project commencement and conducting a full-scale emergency response exercise prior to project start-up. The company must also conduct a sound monitoring survey three months after project start-up to ensure compliance with ERCB noise regulations.
Construction on the project must start by Oct. 1, 2016.
In the decision, the ERCB makes five recommendations to government related to air quality, water quality, and human health studies.
Water monitoring data to be reviewed
A committee of independent scientists will review water monitoring data collected from Alberta’s oilsands region.
“Understanding the impact of the oilsands industry on the watershed of northeastern Alberta is absolutely critical. We need to have total and complete assurance in data before we make decisions on how best to balance environmental protection with development. Albertans deserve to have this assurance as well,” says Environment Minister Rob Renner.
The government contacted scientists from a list of candidates brought forward by Dr. David Schindler and Alberta Environment experts to create a third-party committee to review environmental data.
The committee’s focus is to examine monitoring data and methodology of both government and academic research findings. They will investigate whether data is consistent with historical values in the region and explain the relevance of any differences that may exist. The process is expected to be complete by February 2011.
24 WESTERN CANADIAN PIPELINE | FALL 2010
Shell manages tailings
Shell Canada has started its commercial-scale Atmospheric Fines Drying field demonstration for managing tailings from its oilsands operations.
“Throughout our industry we all recognize the need to improve our management of the tailings that result from oilsands operations,” says John Abbott, executive vice president for Shell’s Heavy Oil business. “The challenge is to develop and apply technologies that will accelerate the pace at which tailings can be reclaimed and this demonstration project is a step forward in meeting this challenge.”
“We have been very active in tailings research since we began our operations and believe Atmospheric Fines Drying technology could result in a fine tailings deposit which releases water and gains strength in weeks rather than decades.”
Shell is working with others in the industry and research institutes.
“The issue is not whether we, as an industry, can reclaim tailings,” continues Abbott, “the issue is whether we can do it better and do it faster. We believe that working with others is key towards developing solutions that will allow us to accelerate the pace of reclamation and meet the expectations of the ERCB’s Directive-074.”
Shell received ERCB approval for operation of the Atmospheric Fines Drying project in August. The demonstration project is located at the Muskeg River Mine.
Atmospheric Fines Drying involves using a large barge to collect mature fine tailings (MFT) from the tailings pond and transfering them to the drying area. The mature fine tailings are then mixed with flocculants – chemical agents which help bring the fine clay particles in the MFT together – and placed on a sloped surface to help speed up the release of water from the clay. The released water runs down the sloped surface to a collection area and is returned to the external tailings facility for reuse in the extraction process.
fall field facts
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