Annual review

80 Pages·1992·6.6 MB·English

by  Alberta Office of Coal Research and Technology

ANNUAL REVIEW
1991/92
ydlborra
ENERGY
Research and Technology
Branch
Cover photo courtesy of Alberta Research Council
ANNUAL REVIEW
1991/92
Liberia
ENERGY
Research and Technology
Branch
ISSN 0831-4292
ISBN 0-86499-936-4
Pub. No. I/479
Contents
2 Preamble
3 Introduction
3 Chairman's Report
5 Background
7 Coal Research Strategy
8 Research Priorities
10 Research & Technology Programs
10 Department- and/or A/CERRF-Funded Projects
45 Western Canadian Low-Sulphur Coal to
Ontario Program
52 Project Expenditures
62 Appendix
62 A/CERRF-Funded Projects
70 Department-Funded Projects
71 Western Canadian Low-Sulphur Coal to
Ontario Program
Preamble
The Alberta Office of Coal Research and
Technology was established January 20, 1984, by
Ministerial Order under the Department of Energy
and Natural Resources Act.
The purpose of the Office is to coordinate the
Alberta government funding needed to identify,
investigate and develop coal-related technologies
considered to be commercially important during
the next decade.
Its goals are:
• to minimize the environmental impact of coal
production, transportation and use in Alberta
and elsewhere, with particular emphasis on
coal-fired power generation;
• to enhance the competitiveness of Alberta
coals in domestic and international markets;
and
• to develop new uses for Alberta coals.
Appointed to the Office are J.K. Kleta as
Chairman, and Garnet T. Page and Michael A.
Ward as Members. T. David Brown represents
Energy, Mines and Resources Canada as an
observer and participates in project reviews.
Initial government funding for the Office was
provided by the Alberta/Canada Energy
Resources Research Fund (A/CERRF). This fund
was fully depleted in 1991/92. Additional
funding is being provided by the Alberta
Department of Energy.
Introduction
Chairman's Report
During 1991/92, the Alberta Office of Coal During 1991/92, projects funded by the Office
Research and Technology continued to helped several technologies to advance toward
support coal research and technology commercial applications. For example, Fording
development through the Alberta Coal Coal Ltd. and the Alberta Research Council
Research Program and the Western Canadian (ARC) are working with other companies to
Low-Sulphur Coal to Ontario Program. This was explore the prospects for commercial
the final year that the Alberta Coal Research application of their coal/oil upgrading and
Program received funding from the agglomeration processes. Other technologies
Alberta/Canada Energy Resources Research that have been developed nearly to the
Fund, as this fund is now depleted. Additional commercial stage include: the Low NO./SO.
funding, however, is being provided by the Burner of TransAlta Utilities Corporation; the
Alberta Department of Energy. coal/oil co-processing technology of Canadian
Energy Developments Inc.; and coal/water and
Most research projects in the two programs coal/oil slurry technologies that have been
managed by the Office were carried out and supported by the Office in the past.
partly funded by the private sector and/or other
governments. Current research priorities include:
All these investigations were based on the Environment-Related Technologies:
1983 Alberta Coal Research Strategy, which
was revised in 1990 after consultation with the ■ L ow NOx/SOx Burner Demonstration (also
related to new uses for Alberta coals);
private sector and interested government
agencies. This consultation led to research • C 02 Use in Enhanced Oil Recovery; and
goals for the 1990s that will help develop coal- • A dvanced Coal Combustion Science
related technologies which are considered to
(ofi m NpOrJo.v ed efficiency and reduced emissions
be commercially important for the period 1995
to 2005. These goals are:
• t o minimize the environmental impact of coal Technologies to Enhance the Competitiveness
production, transportation and use in Alberta of Coal:
and elsewhere, with particular emphasis on
• T ailing Ponds Reclamation;
coal-fired power generation;
• C Loankevse;r sion of Open Pits to Sport Fishery
• t o enhance the competitiveness of Alberta
coals in domestic and international markets;
and • C oal Preparation Plant Optimization
Procedures; and
• t o develop new uses for Alberta coals.
• U nderground Thick-Seam Mining
Technologies.
These goals will allow the Office to continue to
build on its past activities and experience, and
will require an even greater emphasis than New Uses for Coal Technologies:
before on the environmental aspects of coal • C oal/Oil Upgrading;
production and use.
• C oal/Oil Co-processing; and
• C arbon Fibre Development.
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The Office continued to provide administrative Internationally, the Office is involved in projects
support to the single remaining with Japan, Germany, and several European
industry/government technical committee countries through the International Energy
established previously. This committee, The Agency.
Canadian Gasification Steering Committee,
continues to be active and this year supported During 1991/92, the Office received 62
a major gasification investigation by the Alberta requests for research funding, of which 12 new
Research Council and CANMET. projects were approved for Office
contributions. In addition, funding support was
The C02 R&D Network (CORDNET), which was continued for nine projects approved
created last year, acts primarily as an previously. Total 1991/92 research funding
information-sharing body, rather than a typical contributions by the Office were $2.0 million,
technical committee. CORDNET was partly representing 26 per cent of total research
responsible for the development of a new expenditures for approved projects.
project that is examining C02 disposal in
groundwater aquifers. The Office members met eight times in
1991/92, and were advised on the technical
The Office continues to encourage merits of project proposals by a Coal Research
collaboration among research and Review and Selection Committee. Members of
development organizations in Alberta, Canada, this committee were D. Macdonald, (Alberta
and several other countries. In 1991, members Department of Energy, Chairman), A. Turak
of the Office were directly involved in the (Alberta Department of Energy, Secretary), D.
National Advisory Council on Coal Research Deshpande (Alberta Power Limited), V. Plitt
(NACCR) which comprises senior executives (University of Alberta), S. Hunter (The Coal
from the Canadian coal industry, federal and Association of Canada) and T. Cyr (AOSTRA).
provincial governments and the research
community. Day-to-day administration of research projects
is provided by staff in the Research and
NACCR was created to: Technology Branch of Alberta Department of
• define the requirements for coal research, Energy. Additional assistance, cooperation and
development and demonstration (R.D&D), considerable support were received from the
according to the needs of industry and coal industry, research institutions and
governments; intergovernmental organizations.
• recommend priorities for a national R,D&D The results of many investigations supported
program, and promote the development of
by the Office are available to industry and
the most appropriate technologies for coal
other interested parties through technology
production and use; and
transfer publications. These are available from
the Office or the Alberta Energy/Forestry,
• provide guidance for coal R,D&D activities
throughout Canada. Lands and Wildlife information centres in
Calgary and Edmonton.
Recommendations made by NACCR about the
needs of Alberta's coal industry are reflected in
the research program of the Office.
J.K. Kleta
Chairman
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Background
Alberta's coal industry provided an important markets warrant. Income earned by Alberta's
energy source during early development of the coal producers is derived from exports of
province. It c ontinued to contribute significant bituminous coals, and from subbituminous
economic activity until about 1950 when the coals used by Alberta utility companies to
coal market collapsed because large amounts
produce more than 91 per cent of Alberta's
of oil became available as a replacement fuel. electricity. Approximately 2 400 people are
In the mid-1960s, a resurgence occurred in the
directly employed by Alberta's coal producers.
export market for metallurgical coal and in the
provincial market for thermal coal. By 1974, Raw Coal Production
annual production had risen to 9.5 million
Millions of short tons
tonnes.
Alberta's raw coal production rose steadily
after 1975, reaching 35 million tonnes in 1989.
In 1991, raw coal production was 37 million
tonnes, a five per cent rise over the 1990 level
of 35.2 million tonnes.
Today, Alberta is Canada's largest coal-
producing and coal-consuming province. Its 12
major coalmines produce three types of coal
for three different markets. Approximately two-
thirds of total production is subbituminous coal
0 5 10
produced from plains mines and used for Millions of tonnes
power generation at mine-mouth, electricity-
generating stations. Subbituminous coal Bituminous coal
High-quality, bituminous metallurgical coal is These statistics emphasize the importance and
produced from three mountain coalmines for
some of the benefits of Alberta's coal industry,
export to the steel industries in Japan, Korea but there are other advantages to having a
and Brazil. Low-sulphur bituminous thermal healthy coal industry in the province. For
coal is produced from two mines in the foothills example, coalmines provide a high economic
region of Alberta for export to Ontario, Japan and social return on the affected land. Also,
and Korea. Also, five small mines in the plains the sale of coal to other countries improves
area of the province supply coal for the local Canada's trade balance, contributes to
market. expansion of the transportation network, and
fosters growth in the provincial construction
Although the international coal market is still in industry during periods of expansion. Other
an oversupply situation, several thermal coal direct benefits include financial contributions to
mines in the foothills region have been all levels of government, and the purchase of
approved for development when export goods and services within Alberta.
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document was the result of extensive
It is expected that Alberta's coal industry will
continue to supply the low-sulphur fuel that discussions among individual companies and
makes electricity available to all Albertans at the provincial government. Following the initial
little economic or environmental cost. In round of discussions in 1983, the Alberta
addition, it w ill encourage the growth of Office of Coal Research and Technology was
secondary industries, provide a reliable and established in 1984. Subsequent industry
economic energy source for recovery of the proposals that were submitted to the Office
resulted in research and development projects
province's heavy oils and bitumen, and make
funded jointly with the Alberta government.
other significant contributions to the province's
economic base.
Other research projects funded by the Office
To optimize these benefits, however, coal- have been carried out by the Alberta Research
exporting companies must continue to Council and the former Coal Mining Research
capitalize on economic events overseas. This Company.
was made more difficult this year by upheaval
in the Japanese economy and continuing Another important function provided by the
downward pressure on the prices paid for Alberta Office of Coal Research and
Alberta coal. Although this situation is Technology is the coordination of coal
somewhat hampered by a rising Canadian research and development activities within
dollar relative to several currencies, some of Alberta, as well as between Alberta and
the rise in raw coal production this year national and international agencies.
was in response to improved demand from
offshore buyers, while the remainder came This activity has led to better integration
among the various coal research groups in
from the operators of Alberta's thermal electric
plants. Alberta. Also, it has resulted in a stronger
focus on the needs of industry, and has
produced international contacts and greater
Today's market conditions make it e ssential
that Alberta coal producers use the most international cooperation.
efficient and economical technologies available
in coal exploration, production, preparation, The Office has directly influenced research
upgrading, transportation and marketing. and development activities within Alberta by
Increasingly, overseas customers are funding projects jointly with the following:
demanding coal and coal products that exhibit individual coal-producing companies or groups
specific qualities and behaviour. This means of companies, other government agencies,
that coal producers must know more about the universities, private research organizations,
combustion characteristics of their products. consultants, utilities, equipment suppliers and
They must also be involved in the development agencies in other countries.
of new technologies such as agglomeration,
coal-water fuels, and other upgrading The Office is both influencing and benefitting
processes that will produce coal products from coal research and development
tailored to market requirements. elsewhere by participating on various national
and international committees, including the
The Alberta coal industry's response to these International Energy Agency's Working Party
difficulties and challenges is expressed in the for Fossil Fuels, and the Canada/Japan Coal
Alberta Coal Research Strategy, published in Conversion Research and Development
November 1983 and revised in 1990. This Committee.
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