Outotec is collaborating with Kemira and Suncor Energy Services, the Canadian government and the Alberta Water Research Institute to establish a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) industrial research chair titled ‘Water Quality Management for Oil Sands Extraction’ at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Dr Subir Bhattacharjee, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering has been appointed the chairholder.
The five-year long research programme focuses on water quality management studies to address water consumption, reuse and recycling by the in-situ oil sands extraction industry. It will also make material contributions to the science of water treatment, particularly related to physical and chemical processes for removal of water from oil-water-solid systems. Outotec's expertise in solid liquid separation technologies and Kemira's large selection of water chemicals provide essential contribution to solve the energy sector water quality management problems.
The ‘Water Quality Management for Oil Sands Extraction’ research chair is funded jointly by the industry (CAN$750,000), the Alberta Water Research Institute (CAN$600,000) and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (CAN$750,000) over five years.
David Lynch, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta, said: “By leading research in water quality management issues we can promote the development and upgrading of Alberta's natural resources in an environmentally sustainable manner. The establishment of this research chair will also help educate a new generation of engineers who integrate knowledge across disciplines, working in teams in partnership with industry.”
