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Energy, Water, Cost, and Greenhouse Gas Implications of Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Surface Facility Technologies

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Abstract

This analysis explores the implications of technology options for steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) surface facilities on cost, energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water consumption. Water integration in the form of distributed effluent treatment system design as well as heat integration considerations are the basis of this study. Cost savings are accomplished by sequentially employing water network optimization and energy integration techniques. Total annual cost savings of 2.7 to 7.8% are achieved at the surface facility through water integration. Additional operating cost savings of 9.2–10.2% are found due to heat integration. Of the technology options considered in this study, hot lime softening (HLS) with blowdown evaporation and hot lime softening with blowdown recycle are the most promising when considering the tradeoffs between energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption. However, these options are quite different (i.e., blowdown evaporation has lower water consumption but higher greenhouse gas emissions than blowdown recycle, whereas blowdown recycle has lower greenhouse gas emissions but higher water consumption than blowdown evaporation). Deciding between these options requires placing a value on these environmental externalities. The approach described in this work can be applied to inform decisions in the face of tradeoffs between a range of performance metrics. In addition, the analysis framework described in this paper can be adapted to consider new technology pathways as they become available.

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Abbreviations

BAU:

Business as usual

BFD:

Block flow diagram

BFW:

Boiler feed water

CC:

Capital cost, composite curve

CPF:

Central processing facility

DO:

Dissolved oxygen

FWKO:

Free water knockout

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

HEN:

Heat exchanger network

HLS:

Hot lime softening

HP:

High pressure

IGF:

Induced gas flotation

MP:

Mathematical programming

NG:

Natural gas

OC:

Operating cost

ORF:

Oil removal filter

OTSG:

Once-through steam generator

PA:

Pinch analysis

PI:

Process integration

SAGD:

Steam-assisted gravity drainage

TDS:

Total dissolved solids

TH:

Total hardness

TOC:

Total organic carbon

TSS:

Total suspended solids

WAC:

weak acid cation exchanger

WN:

Water network

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Zainab Dadashi Forshomi, Carlos E. Carreon & Joule A. Bergerson

  2. Process Ecology Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Alberto Alva-Argaez

Authors
  1. Zainab Dadashi Forshomi
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  2. Carlos E. Carreon
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  3. Alberto Alva-Argaez
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  4. Joule A. Bergerson
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Correspondence to Joule A. Bergerson.

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Dadashi Forshomi, Z., Carreon, C.E., Alva-Argaez, A. et al. Energy, Water, Cost, and Greenhouse Gas Implications of Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Surface Facility Technologies. Process Integr Optim Sustain 1, 87–107 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41660-017-0007-0

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