Federated Co-Operatives’ Canadian refinery to use GE’s water recycling technology

Federated Co-Operatives’ Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, will install GE’s new water recycling technology for a wastewater improvement project.

The project will enable the refinery to clean 100% of its wastewater on-site.

The Co-op Refinery will recycle all of its wastewater for steam production using GE’s ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and a reverse osmosis (HERO) system to recycle and reuse two million gallons of wastewater per day.

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.”

The refinery previously expanded its operations to produce 30,000 more barrels of oil per day (bpd) increasing it from 100,000bpd to a 130,000bpd facility.

In addition to the water reuse solution, GE provides wastewater specialised chemicals and monitoring solutions to the refinery to provide system optimisation.

Post-commissioning, the refinery is set to minimise its use of freshwater by 28%.

The Co-op Refinery Complex will recycle 100% of its wastewater on-site and decrease volatile organic compound emissions from its wastewater ponds.

The wastewater improvement project is expected to be fully operational by this year.

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% of its wastewater, which is a sustainable and environmentally friendly option.”

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Image: The Co-op Refinery will use GE’s ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and a reverse osmosis (HERO) system to recycle all of its wastewater. Photo: courtesy of General Electric.