MEMBER NEWS
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARD Capturing Carbon — the Integrated Way The Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Project, designed and built by APEGA Permit Holder Shell Canada Limited , is the world’s first integrated oil sands carbon capture and storage (CSS) project. Quest reduces carbon dioxide emissions from Shell’s Scotford Upgrader by more than one million tonnes a year, which is equal to the annual emissions from about 250,000 cars. This is done by capturing and permanently storing the CO 2 deep underground. The CO 2 emissions are produced when bitumen from Shell’s oil sands mining operations near Fort McMurray is refined at the upgrader near Edmonton. Bitumen upgrading involves adding hydrogen to heavy oil and then reducing it to synthetic crude, and hydrogen production is one of the largest sources of CO 2 emissions from the upgrader. Shell’s patented capture technology uses an amine solvent to recover CO 2 from gases emitted by the upgrader’s three hydrogen manufacturing units. Using heat, CO 2 is separated from the amine, compressed to liquid form, and moved through a 65-kilometre pipeline to Thorhild County. There, it is injected into three storage wells more than two kilometres underground. Several parameters were considered in selecting the Quest storage site, including:
• presence of deep porous sandstone, located well below any fresh water or hydrocarbon sources • multiple natural seals to ensure safe, permanent storage • geological stability, with no faults or structural complexity, and no legacy wells within several kilometres The project, estimated to cost $1.35 billion over 10 years, is Shell’s flagship project for its global CCS program. The federal and provincial governments also invested significantly in Quest, contributing $120 million and $745 million respectively. Since it began operating in 2015, Quest has reduced emissions from the Scotford Upgrader by about 35 per cent. More than 1.5 million tonnes of CO 2 have been successfully injected underground. The technology has been shared with governments interested in undertaking similar projects in Mexico, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Korea, and China. The Quest project team includes: • Tim Wiwchar, P.Eng. , project lead • Anita Spence, P.Eng. , project manager • Stephen Marsh, P.Eng. , construction manager • Steve Peplinski, P.Eng. , engineering manager • Dr. Simon O’Brien, P.Geoph. , subsurface manager Other award-winning projects represented in Mr. Simenson’s portfolio include the 88-kilometre Wandering River Regional Waterline, which was Alberta’s first design-build regional waterline and the world’s longest fusible PVC pipe installation. He also led the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo sanitary trunk project, which involved construction of two, 900-millimetre, directionally drilled sewer mains under the Athabasca River. In 1993, Mr. Simenson was elected President of Engineers Yukon, becoming the youngest-ever elected leader of a Canadian engineering self-regulating organi- zation. Throughout his career, he has mentored numer- ous Professional Engineers at Stantec and other organi- zations, providing technical and professional guidance. Many of his mentees have gone on to leadership roles. Now a resident of Red Deer, Mr. Simenson supports numerous charities and frequently volunteers as a coach. His favourite role is Santa, which her performs at community events throughout central Alberta.
FRANK SPRAGINS TECHNICAL Keeping Communities on the Flow
Todd K. Simenson, P.Eng. , has dedicated his career to providing real-world infrastructure solutions that positively affect the communities he serves. A testament to his technical expertise, projects he has worked on have garnered multiple awards from various industry organizations. A vice-president and regional leader for Stantec ’s Alberta north and territories region, Mr. Simenson has enjoyed a fruitful 30-year career in Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and, since 1999, Alberta. Most recently, he was part of the team that designed the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater System, recognized with the 2016 APEGA Project Achievement Summit Award. In spring 2016, he led Stantec’s wastewater and stormwater recovery efforts after the Fort McMurray wildfire.
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