US-based multinational conglomerate General Electric (GE) has been selected by North West Redwater Partnership to supply large electric motors, to power the reciprocating compressors of its bitumen refinery in Canada.
Under the $14m contract, GE will supply its Series 9000-RCM large electric motors and other related services for the 150,000 barrels-per-day bitumen refinery, to produce clean diesel fuel.
The company has started construction work on the refinery, located near Edmonton in Alberta.
The refinery has been specifically designed to reduce the environmental impacts during the conversion of the tarry bitumen crude into diesel.
North West Redwater Partnership’s bitumen refinery will be the first to incorporate an integrated CO2 management system, claimed GE.
GE supplied Series 9000-RCM electric motors will power the reciprocating compressors to process the crude bitumen or heavy crude oil extracted from Canadian oil sands at high compression ratios.
The motors can drive the compressors with ratings of up to 13.8kV and up to 16,000kW.
In addition, the motors are easy to maintain and offer fast installation and start up, thereby, reducing delays and increasing capital resources.
General Electric Power Conversion Rotating Machines sales leader Alberto Peluzzo said the Series 9000-RCM motors provide reliable and proven performance and are being opted by many across the Canada’s oil sands region.
"Along with GE’s expert technical services, they will help enable the North West Redwater Partnership to achieve world-class operational performance and efficiencies at this landmark refinery," Peluzzo added.