Sustainable development of Alberta’s vast oil sands is a key priority, and in early 2013 construction began on the world’s first refinery specifically designed to reduce environmental impacts as it turns tarry bitumen crude into clean-burning diesel fuel. GE’s Power Conversion business is playing an enabling role in the refinery, near Edmonton and owned by the North West Redwater Partnership, by supplying GE’s Series 9000-RCM large electric motors to drive the refinery’s reciprocating compressors, under a $14 million contract that includes related services.

The partnership is a joint venture between North West Upgrading Inc. and Canadian Natural Resources Limited. The 150,000 barrels-per-day bitumen refinery will be the first to incorporate an integrated CO2 management system, setting an international precedent for responsible development. In the first of three phases, by 2015 it is expected to begin producing clean diesel fuel with fewer emissions and up to 30 percent higher fuel efficiency than gasoline, exceeding Canadian standards and meeting global specifications. There is strong demand for clean diesel in North America, China, Southeast Asia and elsewhere. In Canada, for example, diesel is available nationwide at gasoline filling stations and at comparable prices.

Tags: GE Energy