ATCO and Praxair Developing H2 Infrastructure for Oil Sands
31 January 2009
ATCO Energy Solutions and Praxair Canada Inc. are pursuing the development of hydrogen storage and pipeline infrastructure in Alberta, focusing on opportunities northeast of Edmonton where the growth in heavy-oil processing in Alberta has created an increased demand for hydrogen. Hydrogen is used to remove sulfur so that the end-product fuels are cleaner-burning and meet environmental standards.
In addition to hydrogen storage, ATCO Energy Solutions and Praxair are assessing an expansion of Praxair’s hydrogen pipeline network in the Alberta Industrial Heartland to support the significant projects planned for the area. Currently, Praxair owns and operates the only existing hydrogen pipeline network in Alberta.
ATCO Energy Solutions provides value added infrastructure and services to both municipal and industrial customers including pipelines, water and wastewater treatment, high voltage industrial systems and hydrocarbon storage, including hydrogen.
Praxair, a leading global hydrogen supplier, also operates a 500 km hydrogen pipeline complex—one of the world’s largest—along the US Gulf Coast. Integrated into the complex is the industry’s first and only commercial hydrogen storage cavern, which allows Praxair to meet customers’ planned and unplanned peak demand.
Separately, Dynamic Fuels, LLC, a joint venture between Tyson Foods, Inc. and Syntroleum Corporation awarded Praxair a contract for hydrogen supply for use in producing renewable fuels from non-food-grade animal fats produced or procured by Tyson Foods, using Syntroleum’s bio-synfining technology. (Earlier post.)
Dynamic Fuels’ $138 million plant is currently scheduled to begin production in 2010, with a total capacity of 75 million gallons of fuel per year.
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