Increasing Water Recycle Rate

The water recycle rate represents the percentage of produced water a plant recycles. The rate is reported to the Energy Resources Conservation Board on an annual basis. The calculation used to determine recycle rate does not include the volume of saline water that is used as make-up water. In other words, the recycle rate is not a measure of overall water use efficiency but a measure of relative freshwater use. Companies that use freshwater primarily will record lower recycle rates than those that use saline water as all, or as a large percentage of their total water use. Surmont Phase 1 currently uses 100 percent freshwater for steam generation—posing a challenge for the project to increase its recycle rate. Water recycle rate also fluctuates depending on plant operations. Any disruptions at the plant, like a maintenance shutdown, will impact the recycle rate.

ConocoPhillips Canada is committed to full compliance with our operating approval that requires a 90 percent recycle rate. Since June 2009, we report Surmont’s recycle rates on a monthly basis to the Energy Resources Conservation Board because we have not yet reached the 90 percent regulated target. During the first full year of operation in 2008, Surmont’s water recycle rate averaged 79 percent. The recycle rate improved in 2009, averaging 83.5 percent for the year. We have not yet achieved our 90 percent regulatory requirement due to unforeseen challenges associated with this first phase of the Surmont Project. We established an operability task force to address these challenges. In addition, we continue to investigate opportunities to increase our recycle rate and make significant capital investment in achieving regulatory compliance by:

• Optimizing operating efficiency. For Surmont Phase 1, we work on optimizing operating efficiencies and implementing industry best practices.
• Accelerating the use of saline water at Surmont Phase 1. Because the recycle rate calculation is based on freshwater use, increasing our saline water content will improve our recycle rate. We design facility upgrades to allow substitution of saline water for freshwater in Phase 1 to help us achieve this regulatory requirement.
• Using evaporators. For Surmont Phase 2, we will incorporate evaporator technologies into the plant’s design to recover additional water from the wastewater stream.
• Capturing water from combustion. We are exploring the possibility of capturing water from the combustion process. When natural gas is burned, water vapour is a by-product. In fact, the water we produce through combustion is similar to the volume of water required for make-up water in the steam cycle. We’re looking at development of technology that will allow us to capture this vapour economically, thereby significantly reducing the need for fresh or saline make-up water.

Monitoring Our Water Impacts

A number of water monitoring programs are in place at the Surmont Project to assess potential local and regional impacts of our operations and the effects of neighbouring competition for water supplies. Our programs monitor groundwater quality around the Surmont plant; groundwater quality at steam-assisted gravity drainage wellpads; surface water quantity and quality in neighbouring streams, rivers and lakes; subsurface influences (i.e. pressures) from disposal well operations; localized aquifer drawdown from our source water wells and regional groundwater aquifer water levels. Our programs include:

• Water Source Wells: Observation wells have been installed for each of our groundwater source wells to monitor aquifer performance and ensure local drawdown effects within the aquifer are consistent with the Alberta Environment Oilfield Injection Policy. Results to date are fully in-line with predictions and comply with the policy.
• Water Disposal Wells: Water disposal wells are equipped with real-time data transmitters that monitor injection volumes and wellhead pressures in order to monitor well and reservoir performance.
• Local Surface Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring: Surface water run-off is collected in ponds at the Phase 1 plant site and wellpads then tested before being released into the environment. Several water bodies (e.g. Engstrom Lake, Meadow Creek) near the Surmont Phase 1 plant site are being monitored in accordance with a prescribed program in our approval, for any changes to surface water quality and quantity. The Integrated Wetland Monitoring Program is a program ConocoPhillips Canada executes independently of the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program. The program consists of:
  • Hydrogeology - groundwater quality, water levels, flow rates, flow directions.
  • Wetland vegetation monitoring – composition, growth, density, vigour.
  • Surface water hydrology – stream flows, water levels, water quality, sediment quality.
  • Culvert monitoring – erosion issues, sedimentation issues, flows, water levels.
• Results to date from this monitoring program confirm all parameters remain within expected ranges. Vegetation monitoring in the wetlands also shows no impacts. Also, culverts under our roads are monitored to confirm proper water passage is occurring.
• Groundwater Monitoring Wells – Phase 1 Plant: A network of shallow groundwater monitoring wells is installed and monitored twice per year at the Surmont Phase 1 plant to ensure our operations are not adversely affecting the local groundwater. Results recorded to date are consistent with baseline conditions recorded in 2006 prior to start-up.
• Groundwater Monitoring Wells – Regional: A network of deep groundwater monitoring wells is in place within a 60-kilometre radius of the Surmont site. These wells are completed in three different aquifers and equipped with transducers to monitor changes in water levels over time – either occurring naturally or from pumping effects from steam-assisted gravity drainage operations.

Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program:

The Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program is a regional industry group mandated to monitor surface water quality at the regional level. We became a funding member of the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program in 2010. We are currently chairing the technical committee. In 2011 we will chair the steering committee.