Birch Mountain Resources initiated a broad and comprehensive study of its future plans for the Hammerstone Project. The goals of the Raw Material Utilization Study were too broadly answer the question: “What is technically feasible for the property?” Gemini undertook a comprehensive study to explore all options for property development with specific emphasis on product characterization, lime production and associated by-products, cement production, water treatment and opportunities for local business. Summarized below are example findings of the study.
Gemini identified opportunities for heat recovery from the proposed lime production process, recommending altering the fuel mixture to 80% coke and 20% natural gas in order to significantly reduce natural gas costs. The use of high sulphur coke will not affect product quality in the production of lime. Inclusion of a specially designed waste heat boiler immediately after the kiln was found to have two beneficial functions: (1) combustion of residual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and (2) the utilization of heat for electricity production. Heat generated from both lime production and VOCs burning will be recovered by a waste heat boiler. Sufficient heat would be captured to facilitate the waste heat boiler being equipped with a 10 MW steam turbine to produce a net electrical production of between 8.0 MW and 9.0 MW, satisfying most on-site power requirements.
Gemini identified cement production in the Fort McMurray area as a very promising project expansion from a business standpoint. Preliminary estimates show that it could be more profitable than lime production. It was recommended that the client seriously evaluate the cement production as an option to expand its business opportunities because of the possession of high grade aggregate and lime on-site, relatively inexpensive fuel costs and close proximity to high volume users and existing transportation infrastructure.
Gemini recommended detailed studies be undertaken to investigate further the value of utilizing gypsum to create a closed loop operation for lime production. Through industry partnerships, the client may be able to establish stability in the lime production while mitigating environmental concerns related to excessive waste production of sludge. This waste is mainly land-filled and as such, is an unsustainable action and may eventually result in a decline of lime usage in the region.
Design Delivery:
July 2005
Value of Service:
$75,000
Team Members Involved:
Gemini Corporation
Key Personnel:
Aaron Stavne
Project Manager/Lead Technical Investigator
Duties:
Conceptual development; market assessment; business development; waste to energy feasibility modeling; value added product development; preliminary engineering and project management.
Relevant Skills:
Project Management; feasibility modeling & preliminary engineering with emphasis on the disciplines process; mechanical; electrical; and business development
Quality Management Experience:
Responsibilities and involvement limited to feasibility; concept development to preliminary engineering; technology assessments and business development/market evaluation.
Gemini undertook a feasibility study to economically evaluate the moving hydrated lime from facilities in Langley B.C. and/or Beachville, Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta. The lime was to be transloaded from rail cars to trucks, which would involve the construction of a 250 tonne transload silo in Edmonton. The hydrated lime would be trucked from Edmonton to consumers in the Fort McMurray area.
As part of this study, Gemini prepared a scoping level report investigating the use of third party manufactured hydrated lime to supply customers located near Fort McMurray. Hydrated lime would be shipped via rail to the chosen terminal site, stored in a silo (size 200 to 250 tonne), and supplied to the customer via truck. Two general options were evaluated depending on the future of the Athabasca Northern Railway:
Option 1: Should the railway exist and long term viability seems likely, a location for a lime transfer station is to be considered near Fort McMurray, AB.
Option 2: Should the railway struggle and long term viability seem questionable, the location of the lime transfer station is to be considered located near Edmonton, AB.
The preferred site for the hydrated lime terminal was in the general vicinity of Edmonton, Alberta, where the site required rail and road access; road access for the “B” train bulk truck haulers.
The study’s objective was to provide technical and economic support for determining whether to proceed with a further investigation into the use of a hydrated lime transload facility in Edmonton. The Consultant preformed three principal tasks to fully answer this question:
(a) Logistics description for product delivery from third party manufacturer of hydrated lime;
(b) Cost estimate (± 20%) for transportation rail from two hydrated lime manufactures including transfer from the manufacturing plant to a storage terminal located in Edmonton, Alberta; and
(c) Project feasibility analysis (IRR, NPV and payback) to determine investment for establishment of this contract.
Design Delivery:
September 2007
Value of Service: $45,000
Team Members Involved:
Gemini Corporation
Key Personnel:
Aaron Stavne
Project Manager/Lead Technical Investigator
Duties:
Conceptual development; preliminary engineering; capital cost estimating and project management
Relevant Skills:
Project Management; preliminary engineering with emphasis on the disciplines process; mechanical, electrical/instrumentation/controls, civil /structural and estimating
Quality Management Experience:
Responsibilities and involvement limited to feasibility, concept development to preliminary engineering and capital estimating.
A biomass inventory and feedstock evaluation was conducted for the Beaver County Region, southeast of Edmonton, Alberta; on behalf of Beaver County and Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
The feasibility study was undertaken in three phases:
Phase I Organic waste inventory
Phase II Waste characterization and description
Phase III Process and Technology Analysis
The scope of Phase I was to evaluate the availability and general characterization of organic wastes within 100 km radius of the intended facility location, Ryley; and at a larger radius from the intended facility location (approx. 300+ km). The scope of Phase II was to evaluate each feedstock type for detailed waste characterization and description. This includes biochemical characteristics, treatability by digestion, competing disposal practices and economics for feedstock utilization in the biogas production and cogeneration facility. The scope of Phase III includes methods of processing, optimal feedstock mixtures for co-digestion and general plant description (including major equipment, general processes and economic aspects). The conclusion of this study detailed the feasibility of a commercial sized anaerobic digestion facility in the Beaver County Region, located in Ryley, Alberta.
Design Delivery:
June 2006
Value of Service:
$100,000
Team Members Involved:
Gemini Corporation & Beaver Regional Industrial Service Corporation (BRISC)
Key Personnel:
Aaron Stavne
Project Manager/Lead Technical Investigator
Duties:
Waste inventory and characterization assessment; market and business development; regulatory & permitting; preliminary engineering and project management.
Relevant Skills:
Project Management; waste production & inventory research; market evaluation, business development; preliminary engineering with emphasis on the disciplines process; mechanical; and plot & facility layout development.
Quality Management Experience:
Responsibilities and involvement limited to feasibility, concept development to preliminary engineering and regulatory/permitting.
Gemini, at the request of Sherritt International, developed a detailed demolition proposal and plan for the Phosphate Rock Unloading Station at its Fort Saskatchewan plant site. Included in the plan were details concerning the: demolition plan, general condition of adjoining structures, structural engineering calculations in support of preparatory work, and miscellaneous drawing details specifying preparatory work to be undertaken prior to demolition activities.
Design Delivery:
May 2005
Value of Service:
$15,000
Team Members Involved:
Gemini Corporation utilized experts from its engineering, fabrication and construction services groups.
Key Personnel:
Roderick Facey, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Project Manager/Lead Technical Advisor
Duties:
Conceptual plan development; regulatory & permitting; preliminary engineering and project management
Relevant Skills:
Project Management; detailed engineering in the discipline area of civil/structural; QA/QC program development; health and safety program development.
Quality Management Experience:
QA/QC plan development in the areas of occupational health & safety; structural integrity evaluation; and infrastructure constructability & disassembly.
Project cost risk assessment evaluation as it pertains to asbestos removal and disposal, structural assessment and reinforcement of existing infrastructure.
Gemini undertook a study for Nexen/OPTI to explore options for re-pressurizing of the McMurray V pool reservoir of the Long Lake Lease. Re-pressurization of this reservoir was being considered as a means of mitigating risks associated with utilizing the Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) recovery process underlying depleted gas pools.
The first phase of this study was the identification of all gas streams available for re-pressurization of the reservoir. A total of six potential options were initially developed, which were reduced to three options through evaluations. These three options were the use of low pressure nitrogen waste gas, the use of Once-Through Steam Generator (OTSG) flue gas and the use of CO2 captured from OTSG flue gas emissions.
The second phase of the study investigated the viability of the three available re-pressurization options. After some initial investigation, a decision was made to consider the capture of CO2 from flue gas as a separate issue and not to explore it further as a re-injection option. Process equipment requirements were evaluated for the nitrogen gas and flue gas options. During the evaluation it was determined that the risk of corrosion was not present in the nitrogen re-pressurization option; however, the flue gas process would be at risk of both carbonic acid corrosion and oxidation corrosion. The risk and effects of carbonic acid and oxidation corrosion were investigated and presented as separate reports that support this study. To prevent corrosion problems resulting from the flue gas option, stainless steel components would be required in high risk process areas. Moreover, water separators, an oxygen removal system and a dehydrator system would be required within the process. Despite the corrosion issues with the flue gas process, it was determined that the use of the low pressure nitrogen waste gas stream and OTSG flue gas stream are both viable re-pressurization options.
The use of captured CO2 from the OTSG flue gas emission stream for reservoir re-pressurization was investigated in a sub-study of this project. The initial capital costs for the implementation of a carbon capture system was estimated to range from $44 to $125 million, and the cost per tonne of CO2 captured was estimated to range from $39 to $91 per tonne. It was concluded that the use of captured CO2 was a non-viable option for re-pressurization of the reservoir due to the high costs involved.
The final phase of the study was an overall evaluation of the available re-pressurization options. In this phase, initial capital and operation and maintenance (O & M) costs were developed for all options.
Design Delivery:
October 2007
Values of Service Delivered:
$160,000
Team Members Involved:
Gemini Corporation
Key Personnel:
Don Zotsman
Project Manager/Lead Technical Engineer
Duties:
Conceptual development; detailed engineering and project management.
Relevant Skills:
Project Management; detailed engineering with emphasis on the disciplines process and mechanical.
Quality Management Experience:
Responsibilities and involvement limited to feasibility; concept development to detailed engineering and capital cost estimating.