Syncrude, which operates a surface mining oil sands plant in northeastern Alberta, is currently implementing a multi-pronged approach to manage tailings, the byproduct of the bitumen extraction process.
As the general contractor, KBR Industrial Canada Co will provide constructability, module fabrication and construction services for FFT-CFSP, a project using Syncrude’s latest tailings reduction technology. Module fabrication is scheduled to begin late this year and continue to the end of 2013. Plant start-up is scheduled for 2015.
The process is designed to pump fluid fine tailings through a series of centrifuges to separate the maximum amount of water from the solids. Released water will be recycled for plant operations and the soil product of the centrifuge process will have sufficient density and strength to be placed in deposits, then capped and reclaimed.
