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The Osum Orion Project is a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) facility located in the Cold Lake oil sands region of Alberta. Between 2016 and 2018 the nameplate capacity for the facility was expanded from 10,000 barrels per day to 20,000 barrels per day through a series of brownfield expansions. The project consists of a central processing facility (CPF) and five well pads with 43 well pairs.
The CPF employs drum boiler technology for steam generation, which requires boiler feed water with low TDS and silica concentration that can be produced using evaporators for water treatment. The operation includes four (4) evaporator towers, one (1) crystallizer and four (4) drum boilers. Two of the four evaporator towers were installed as part of the Orion Phase 2BC expansion. Hive Innovations was engaged by Osum as a preferred service provider, completing projects at both the CPF and well pad facilities, including the evaporator system expansion. The project was executed under a fixed cost turnkey commercial agreement.
The Challenge
Osum desired to grow the Orion asset in a challenging market with cost and schedule certainty. A cost-effective, fast-tracked evaporator solution was required to meet steam demand for new SAGD wells.
“Hive provided an innovative project delivery solution for Osum to streamline execution with single-point accountability and predictable results. The evaporator project is an operational success at Orion enabling Osum to deliver on its commitments to investors.”
-Michael Stobart
Project Manager, OSUM Oil Sands Corp.
The Solution
Osum engaged Hive Innovations to leverage their teams’ strong background in thermal facility design, modularization, and construction execution to develop a cost-efficient water treatment solution for the Orion expansion.
HIVE Innovations differentiated themselves with an integrated team that:
- Had experience on 75% of evaporators installed upstream of drum boilers in SAGD service
- Exhibited strong SAGD design knowledge with an innovative mindset and approach to design
- Promoted fixed cost turnkey execution, focusing on project delivery instead of billable hours
The Results
The project met Osum’s cost and schedule targets and accomplished the following:
Optimized Packaging
Optimized packaging of the major evaporator equipment contributing to its enhanced performance.
Design Innovation
Innovative design concepts such as pre-cast tower foundations, structural steel / concrete hybrid equipment foundations, and associated modular skidded buildings to optimize the project schedule.
Field Erected Self Supported Building
New techniques for utilizing pre-cast concrete walls for buildings and tower foundation construction, reducing field work and requirements for site prep to cure concrete in cold weather conditions. This resulted in both cost and schedule improvements.
Ducting Design Improvements
Using computational fluid dynamics, Hive optimized the large bore ducting to connect the evaporator towers and packaged equipment for ease of assembly and improved layout.
Modular Design & Footprint Reduction
Requiring less space and a reduced cost for project execution.
More Information
To learn more about the OSUM Orion Evaporator project or to find out how HIVE Innovations can help you on your next project – call, 1.888.447.4483, or click today!
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