• Information Technology
  • Human Resources
  • Careers
  • Giving
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Active Living
  • Continuing Education
  • Go Dinos
  • UCalgary Maps
  • UCalgary Directory
  • Academic Calendar
My UCalgary
Webmail
D2L
ARCHIBUS
IRISS
  • Faculty of Arts
  • Cumming School of Medicine
  • Faculty of Environmental Design
  • Faculty of Graduate Studies
  • Haskayne School of Business
  • Faculty of Kinesiology
  • Faculty of Law
  • Faculty of Nursing
  • Faculty of Nursing (Qatar)
  • Schulich School of Engineering
  • Faculty of Science
  • Faculty of Social Work
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
  • Werklund School of Education
  • Information TechnologiesIT
  • Human ResourcesHR
  • Careers
  • Giving
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Active Living
  • Continuing Education
  • Go Dinos
  • UCalgary Maps
  • UCalgary Directory
  • Academic Calendar
  • Libraries and Cultural Resources
View Item 
  •   PRISM Home
  • Graduate Studies
  • The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations
  • View Item
  •   PRISM Home
  • Graduate Studies
  • The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Life Cycle Assessment of Using Biomass-Based Activated Carbon for Water Treatment in Oil Sands Operations in Alberta

Thumbnail
Download
ucalgary_2015_Parchei Esfahani_Mehrshad.pdf (1.452Mb)
Advisor
Hill, Josephine M.
Author
Parchei Esfahani, Mehrshad
Accessioned
2015-01-28T23:21:38Z
Available
2015-02-23T08:00:40Z
Issued
2015-01-28
Submitted
2015
Other
Water treatment
Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD)
Greenhouse gas (GHG)
Tailings
Pyrolysis
Subject
Environmental Sciences
Engineering--Chemical
Engineering--Environmental
Type
Thesis
Metadata
Show full item record

Abstract
The recovery of bitumen through steam-assisted gravity drainage in Alberta produces about 2.7 m3 of water per one m3 of bitumen, resulting in about 118 million m3 of water per year having high levels of organic compounds. When this water is recycled to the boilers, the organic compounds contribute to fouling and corrosion, thus, the energy companies are interested in finding a cost-effective strategy to remove the organics before recycling the water. In mining operations, approximately 3 m3 of water are produced per one m3 of bitumen, resulting in 148 million m3 of water per year flowing into tailings ponds. While the majority of this water is reused, the organics in water can be metabolized and produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Laboratory studies have shown that activated carbon from forestry residues (aspen wood) could remove the organics, create a carbon sink, reduce emissions from tailings and provide a new market for the residual biomass from the local forestry industry. This study compares the cost, energy requirement, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with four scenarios: two scenarios for activated carbon production, pyrolysis and activation of biomass in mobile units in the field or transporting the residual biomass to a central location where it is both pyrolyzed and activated, and two scenarios for using the produced activated carbon for removal of organics from the produced water in either SAGD operations or tailings ponds in mining operations. Field pyrolysis of biomass for both SAGD and mining operations was calculated to have lower emissions (approximately 75% lower GHG emissions), but higher economic costs (approximately 20% higher cost) compared to the centralized processing. The net emissions of the systems were calculated to be between 0 to 16 kgCO2e/m3. Furthermore, at 75% removal level, the maximum feasible amount for the systems used in this study, the net emissions range between -55 to -76 kgCO2e/m3. Hence, the ultimate GHG emissions range achievable by these systems is 16 to -76 kgCO2e/m3. The sensitivity analysis showed pyrolysis and activation yields as well as removal level are the main parameters that should be the focus of future research in order to reduce energy requirements, emissions, and cost of the entire process.
Corporate
University of Calgary
Faculty
Graduate Studies
Doi
http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/26759
Uri
http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2042
Collections
  • The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Browse

All of PRISMCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

LoginRegister

Statistics

Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

  • Email
  • SMS
  • 403.220.8895
  • Live Chat

Energize: The Campaign for Eyes High

Privacy Policy
Website feedback

University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
CANADA

Copyright © 2017