The NWR Partnership was seeking to reduce the use of water in the refining process and as a way of minimizing its environmental impact on the North Saskatchewan River. Like many regions, Alberta has tough regulations regarding freshwater withdrawal and effluent discharge.
To minimize the use of freshwater, GE’s Water & Process Technologies will provide efficient water treatment systems with process water from the refinery being treated and recycled multiple times. Surface water runoff from the facility will be contained in the retention ponds and used for process purposes to reduce the water withdrawal from the North Saskatchewan River. The ultrafiltration and membrane bioreactor technology allow NWR to meet its recycling challenges. Chemistry and on-site technical support from Water & Process Technologies will not only ensure that the facilities’ water balance targets are met, but also will maintain the reliability of its various assets by protecting from deposition and corrosion.