Federated Co-Operative’s oil refinery in Canada to use GE’s wastewater treatment technology

GE is installing its advanced water recycling technology at Federated Co-Operatives' Co-op refinery complex in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

GE claims that after the installation, the facility will be the only oil refinery in North America to recycle all of its wastewater, which will be used for steam production, heating, hydrogen production, powering equipment and for cooling towers.

The oil refinery increased its daily oil production from 100,000 barrels per day (BPD) to 130,000 BPD. With this, the facility's  water usage also increased. It was using a blend of well water and municipal water. With increasing restrictions on water usage, Federated Co-op had come up with a new source of water.

GE offered a solution integrating ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor technology and a reverse osmosis system for recycling and reusing 2 million gallons of wastewater per day.

The company also provides the refinery with wastewater specialty chemicals and monitoring solutions for system optimization.

After commissioning, the refinery is expected to reduce its use of freshwater by 28%, equal to about 3,100 households in Regina, on an annual basis.

The recycling of 100% of its wastewater on-site will allow the refinery to decrease volatile organic compound emissions from its wastewater ponds and reduce the associated nuisance odors.

The wastewater improvement project is anticipated to start operations by the fall of 2016.

Federated Co-Operatives refinery operations vice president Gil Le Dressay said: “Water is a precious resource and our wastewater improvement project allows us to be efficient and sustainable by recovering every drop of water.

“With GE’s technology, the Co-op Refinery Complex will clean and recycle all of its wastewater in a socially responsible and environmentally sound way to conserve water for Regina and the entire province of Saskatchewan.”

GE Power engineered systems—water and process technologies global leader Kevin Cassidy said: “Refineries require an enormous amount of water. Treating the wastewater and reusing it is economical and environmentally friendly. In the case of the Co-op Refinery Complex, the expansion required a new source of water.

“GE’s MBR and RO technologies will help the refinery recycle 100 percent of its wastewater, which is a sustainable and environmentally friendly option.”