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Continual Improvement of Water Use at Suncor Oil Sands

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Continual Improvement of Water Use at Suncor Oil Sands

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    1. Continual Improvement of Water Use at Suncor Oil Sands Prit Kotecha, Sr. Process Engineer, Water Management Gord Lambert, VP Sustainable Development

    3. Mining -Suncor leases land for the Province of alberta -Shovels hold 100 tonnes dumped into 240 to 360 tonne trucks -About 450Ktonnes/day to OPP Crushers/Sizers send ore to primary extraction via the Hydotransport lines – mixed with 80-90 deg C water About 50,000 USGPM of recyled water -Suncor leases land for the Province of alberta -Shovels hold 100 tonnes dumped into 240 to 360 tonne trucks -About 450Ktonnes/day to OPP Crushers/Sizers send ore to primary extraction via the Hydotransport lines – mixed with 80-90 deg C water About 50,000 USGPM of recyled water

    4. Extraction Primary sep vessel – separate out slurry to froth, middlings and tailnigs. Tailings is pumped (via a cyclone) to the tailings Middlings get reprocessed through floatation cells Froth goes through secondary extraction – diluent is added then through incline plate separators, hydroclones and diluent recovery unit - upgradingPrimary sep vessel – separate out slurry to froth, middlings and tailnigs. Tailings is pumped (via a cyclone) to the tailings Middlings get reprocessed through floatation cells Froth goes through secondary extraction – diluent is added then through incline plate separators, hydroclones and diluent recovery unit - upgrading

    5. Upgrading Upgrading – the diluent is recovered – bitumin is heated in furnaces and sent to drums where coke is removed and petroleum vapours are sent to fractionators to generate naptha kero and gas oil, products can then be hydrotreated to remove sulphurUpgrading – the diluent is recovered – bitumin is heated in furnaces and sent to drums where coke is removed and petroleum vapours are sent to fractionators to generate naptha kero and gas oil, products can then be hydrotreated to remove sulphur

    6. Where is Water Used in Oil Sands? Notes: Figure shows a snapshot where 25,858 USGPM is drawn from the river. Of this, 33% returned to river, 53% goes to tailings, and rest is distributed between atmosphere and firebag. We are stewarding to reducing the water that goes to tailings and increasing the water returned to the river. The ultimate amount of wastewater that we have available to recycle is what we discharge to river or to tails (Pond E Outfall: 6433 + Pond C Outfall: 2000 + Pond C to Tailings: 10,000) = 18,433 usgpm We can also potentially take SSW to tailings, PEW water (through better reclamation performance), and some water losses to atmosphere. Water that goes to SAGD is used at Firebag. Notes: Figure shows a snapshot where 25,858 USGPM is drawn from the river. Of this, 33% returned to river, 53% goes to tailings, and rest is distributed between atmosphere and firebag. We are stewarding to reducing the water that goes to tailings and increasing the water returned to the river. The ultimate amount of wastewater that we have available to recycle is what we discharge to river or to tails (Pond E Outfall: 6433 + Pond C Outfall: 2000 + Pond C to Tailings: 10,000) = 18,433 usgpm We can also potentially take SSW to tailings, PEW water (through better reclamation performance), and some water losses to atmosphere. Water that goes to SAGD is used at Firebag.

    7. Performance Improvement Drivers Our Water Strategy: Double oil sands production utilizing our existing water withdrawal license – reduce overall environmental impact Our Actions: Operational excellence Apply water conservation (3Rs) through improved system design and technology enabling Meet or exceed reclamation targets Optimize dry reclamation technologies – eliminate water storage in ponds To maintain the Athabasca River water usage within our current license By recycling wastewater streams, we can reduce gross river water usage Then, we can increase prodn growth and have room to increase our gross usage, but still remain under our water license This way, our gross water usage will remain the same, but production increase, and gross water intensity will reduce To reduce net water withdrawal and intensity: By improving water quality of wastewater, we can send more clean water back to the river This will reduce net water usage and intensity This will also reduce excess water being sent to tailings – and help with reclamation performance To improve reclamation performance: Improved CT performance – allows more water release To develop and optimize progressive dry reclamation technologies Improve MFT drying – allows more find dewatering Develop new innovative technologies “Suncor is committed to using best practices and technologies and putting policies in place to ensure a safe and healthy work environment, and to reducing our impact on the air, land and water” INCLUDE PRODUCED WATER DISPOSAL - FIREBAG Operate at a set target below 59.8 Mm3 annual allocation or 30,068 USGPM at all timesTo maintain the Athabasca River water usage within our current license By recycling wastewater streams, we can reduce gross river water usage Then, we can increase prodn growth and have room to increase our gross usage, but still remain under our water license This way, our gross water usage will remain the same, but production increase, and gross water intensity will reduce To reduce net water withdrawal and intensity: By improving water quality of wastewater, we can send more clean water back to the river This will reduce net water usage and intensity This will also reduce excess water being sent to tailings – and help with reclamation performance To improve reclamation performance: Improved CT performance – allows more water release To develop and optimize progressive dry reclamation technologies Improve MFT drying – allows more find dewatering Develop new innovative technologies “Suncor is committed to using best practices and technologies and putting policies in place to ensure a safe and healthy work environment, and to reducing our impact on the air, land and water” INCLUDE PRODUCED WATER DISPOSAL - FIREBAG Operate at a set target below 59.8 Mm3 annual allocation or 30,068 USGPM at all times

    8. Improved Plant Operations

    9. Water Conservation Philosophy Reduce Water Use Optimize utility and cooling water use through source reduction and operational excellence Less water use means less wastewater handled and less water requiring treatment! Reuse Wastewater Reuse wastewater without treatment Treat and Recycle Wastewater Treat to required water quality and recycle Water conservation philosophy Familiar terms of 3Rs are implemented. Water reduction – better operating practices, optimizing cooling systems/increasing COCs, increasing blowdown recovery, utilty water reduction. Water reuse – reusing the same water without treatment – opportunities such as coke cutting/quench water, ash handling systems Water recycle – treat and recycle directly from process or from wastewater systems Water conservation philosophy Familiar terms of 3Rs are implemented. Water reduction – better operating practices, optimizing cooling systems/increasing COCs, increasing blowdown recovery, utilty water reduction. Water reuse – reusing the same water without treatment – opportunities such as coke cutting/quench water, ash handling systems Water recycle – treat and recycle directly from process or from wastewater systems

    10. Example Projects at Suncor

    11. Invest in R&D of enabling technologies

    12. Exceed Tailings Performance Requirements - The Consolidated Tails (CT) Process

    13. Exceed Tailings Performance Requirements "Step change improvement was made through Suncor focus and proper resources and past learning's" "Step change improvement was made through Suncor focus and proper resources and past learning's"

    14. Further Improvements to Tailings Performance Dry Tailings Develop, test and implement technologies that minimize or eliminate the need for additional tailings storage space at Suncor’s facility Evaluate both chemical and mechanical solutions Work with regulators to ensure we meet the new expectations Pond Reclamation Reclaim first oil sands tailings pond by 2010 Establish field proven techniques to reclaim first Consolidated Tailings ponds (Pond 5 & 6), regulatory commitment to have these completed by 2019

    15. Mature Fine Tails (MFT) Drying Experience (Field Results) The treated MFT has a high viscosity and flows not unlike lava or yogurt. Once this material spreads out across the beach and is allowed to dry, polygonal desiccation cracks form and the material forms very hard and dry blocks. When this material freezes, the residual water within the deposit forms ice lenses which, suring Spring thaw, results in the release of large volumes of water from the deposit. Evaporation then consolidates the remaining material, and the resulting texture of the dried material is small peds with sizes up to 2mm in diameter. These peds have a texture similar to ground coffee and are not unlike the clay soils found around Fort McMurray.The treated MFT has a high viscosity and flows not unlike lava or yogurt. Once this material spreads out across the beach and is allowed to dry, polygonal desiccation cracks form and the material forms very hard and dry blocks. When this material freezes, the residual water within the deposit forms ice lenses which, suring Spring thaw, results in the release of large volumes of water from the deposit. Evaporation then consolidates the remaining material, and the resulting texture of the dried material is small peds with sizes up to 2mm in diameter. These peds have a texture similar to ground coffee and are not unlike the clay soils found around Fort McMurray.

    16. Tailings Reclamation Improvements Pond 1 Progress

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