The Challenge
Steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operations in Northern Alberta have the ability to be producers of electricity by installing co-generation, which uses natural gas to produce both electricity and heat.
Many operations don’t have co-generation and instead draw power from the public grid, which uses electricity that is traditionally 51 per cent produced from coal. Including cogeneration in a SAGD development results in greater and faster GHG reductions by accelerating the retirement of coal-generated power.
The Approach
SAGD cogeneration represents a ‘made in Alberta’ solution to the government’s desire to drive coal off the grid and increase the role for renewables in the province.
The technology also ensures a reliable supply of electricity in remote places which improves reliability, reduces downtime, and results in higher overall revenue.
The Outcome
Pengrowth Lindbergh Natural Gas Co-Generation Project
Scovan was responsible for the full engineering, design, procurement and construction management support of the project.
A fully functional cogeneration plant was built that integrates into the commercial utility grid allowing for excess power to be sold to the grid by the owner and providing the ability to draw power from the commercial utility grid in times of need. Pre-cast concrete technology was utilized to create both the building floors and walls dramatically improving installation time, reducing overall costs, all while keeping construction and operations teams safe. The facility is now producing 10% of its steam generation through waste heat recovery and the client has significantly reduced its GHG emissions and operating costs and increased reliability.
