Calgary: Imperial Research Lab, Exergy Solutions X-Lab, and Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre 

Friday, 22 September 2023 - Approximately 5 hours

Approximate Cost: US$300

Approximately 50 delegates

• Imperial Research Lab at Quarry Park in South Calgary

Imperial’s lab engages in heavy oil research with a focus on minimizing the environmental footprint of oil sands production. Current programs include low GHG in-situ recovery technologies, mining extraction methods, tailings management, and reclamation best practices.

• Exergy Solutions

Located at Quarry Station in South Calgary, Exergy’s X-Lab is 17,000 square feet of space optimized to innovate faster, more safely and more collaboratively. Its industry-leading testing areas include fume hoods, a fabrication shop with CNC equipment and three-story high bay area. With leading immersive technology, its wireless AR/VR studio enables collaboration through digital twin environments. Its state-of-the-art 3D printers enable immediate production and evaluation of customized parts in-house.

• Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre (ACCTC)

Located next to the Shepard Energy Centre, an 860-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in south Calgary, the ACCTC provides six tonnes/day of concentrated (~97% pure) CO2 from flue gas (~4-6% CO2) to five bays where companies are able to test new technologies to make use of CO2in the development of new products and processes.

Alberta Industrial Heartland, North East of Edmonton, Alberta

Friday, 22 September 2023 - Hosted by Alberta Industrial Heartland (AIH) Association – approximately 11 hours

Approximate Cost: US$500

Approximately 50 delegates

• Fly to and from AIH Region
• Bus to each facility below

 

• Quest Carbon Capture Facility (CCS)

Quest shows that large-scale CO2 capture is a safe and effective measure to reduce CO2 emissions from industrial sources. Quest is located at Shell’s Scotford complex which includes a refinery, upgrader, and petrochemical plant. Quest was built ahead of schedule and under budget. Since opening in late 2015, the facility has captured more CO2 than expected and stored it safely 2 km underground. To date, Quest has captured and stored over 6 million tonnes of CO2 and captures over 1 million tonnes/year of CO2, equivalent to the emissions of 250,000 cars.

• Inter Pipeline (IPL) Heartland Petrochemical Complex (HPC)

IPL’s HPC will use natural propane to produce 525,000 tonnes per year of polypropylene at North America’s first integrated propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and polypropylene (PP) complex. Polypropylene is a high-value, recyclable plastic that global manufacturers and converters will transform into the myriad products and tools that keep our lives moving forward. With sustainability built into every aspect of its operations, the HPC P delivers high-quality polypropylene products with significantly reduced GHG emissions while continuing to partner on innovations to reduce waste and increase recycling.

• North West Redwater Partnership Sturgeon Refinery

The Sturgeon Refinery is the first refinery built in Canada in over 35 years. It is the world’s only oil sands refinery designed from the ground up to minimize its environmental footprint through carbon capture and storage while producing the high-value, lower-carbon products needed to meet North America’s demand for energy. The refinery is designed to process over 79,000 barrels of diluted bitumen per day into ultra-low sulphur diesel and other energy products for Western Canada and beyond. Commercial operation began in 2020, and over 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are captured each year as part of the Sturgeon Refinery’s sustainable fuel production.

Oil Sands SAGD Facility

Friday, 22 September 2023 (potential for additional dates) – Approximately 11 hours

Approximate Cost: Sponsored by Cenovus

Approximately 30 delegates

• Fly to and from the Cenovus Sunrise SAGD facility 60 km north of Ft. McMurray
• Total time 10-11 hours from hotel departure to return to Calgary

 

• Sunrise SAGD

Cenovus Energy’s Sunrise oil sands asset in northeastern Alberta is a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) project, where the company uses industry-leading drilling technologies and practices to help ensure the safe and environmentally responsible production of its reservoirs. This day-long tour offers a complete overview of the company’s operations and living accommodations.

At Sunrise, oil is produced by drilling into the oil sands reservoir, injecting steam to soften it and then pumping the mixture of oil and water to the surface. You will follow the trip the oil and water mixture takes from the well pad through the onsite pipeline system to the processing plant. At the plant you’ll have the opportunity to learn how the oil and water used in steam production are separated. This process prepares the oil for shipment to markets in the United States and Canada, while most of the water associated with production is recycled for new steam production. You will also see how Cenovus works to limit its impact on the environment, including wildlife monitoring.

Participants will be provided with return air transportation from Calgary and transportation between downtown Calgary and the airport, as well as the necessary personal protective equipment and meals.

Oil Sands Mine/Upgrader

Friday, 22 September 2023 - Approximately 11 hours

Approximate Cost: Sponsored by Canadian Natural Resources

Approximately 30 delegates

• Fly to and from the Canadian Natural Resources Horizon facility north of Ft. McMurray
• Total time 10-11 hours from hotel departure to return to Calgary

 

• Horizon Oil Sands

Canadian Natural’s Horizon Oil Sands asset in northeastern Alberta is a world class oil sands mining and upgrading operation that processes bitumen to create synthetic crude oil (SCO).

During your tour you will see how SCO is produced by mining bitumen ore from pits using large shovel units and trucks. You will also see how our progressive land management approach minimizes disturbance to land, reduces the operational footprint, and progressively reclaims land throughout our operations.

Canadian Natural is also the largest owner of carbon capture technology in Canada, where we are currently capturing 2.7 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year from 3 carbon capture facilities. At our Horizon site, you will see one of our Carbon Capture facilities, which captures ~400,000 tonnes of CO2e per year. Carbon Capture technology is one of the key technologies that Canadian Natural and the Pathways Alliance will be using to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050 from oil sands operations.

Participants will be provided with return air transportation from Calgary to the Horizon site, as well as from downtown Calgary to the airport.