Suncor Energy has won a 2010 ASTech award for its TROTM tailings management process. The process, which received regulatory approval in June 2010, is expected to result in significant improvement in the speed of oil sands tailings reclamation.

The award, for outstanding achievement in environmental technology and innovation, was presented to the company's Tailings Reduction Operations team on Nov. 12 during a dinner event in Edmonton.

"Thanks to the team's multi-functional expertise, leadership, and tireless dedication, Suncor is in a position to implement its new tailings technology as part of our effort to reduce the environmental impact of tailings ponds," said Shelley Powell, Suncor's vice president, Oil Sands Extraction. "This is something we should all be extremely proud of."

ASTech awards are bestowed annually by the Alberta Science and Technology Leadership Foundation to celebrate and raise public awareness of the world class work being done by Albertans in science and technology. Award nominees' work is judged by an independent panel representing a cross section of industry, academia and research.

The company began researching, developing and testing TROTM technology in 2003. With regulatory approvals received earlier this year, Suncor expects to invest more than $1 billion to implement the technology across its existing mining operations.

Tailings are a mixture of fine clay, sands, water and residual bitumen produced through the oil sands extraction process. As tailings settle, a portion will eventually form mature fine tailings (MFT), a substance that has historically taken many decades to firm up sufficiently for reclamation. During the TROTM process, MFT is mixed with a polymer flocculent and then deposited in thin layers over sand beaches with shallow slopes. This drying process occurs over a matter of weeks, allowing more rapid reclamation activities to occur. The resulting product is a dry material that can be reclaimed in place or moved to another location for contouring and replanting with native vegetation.

Tags: Suncor Energy