Commitment
to Environment

North West Refining’s commitment to set the world standard for low CO₂ emissions and minimal environmental impact has been demonstrated in the many environmental initiatives found at the Sturgeon Refinery.

The Sturgeon Refinery is the first refinery in the world to incorporate carbon capture from the outset. It  uses Gasification technology allows us to capture the CO₂ produced during the refining process and then use it for enhanced oil recovery before safely and permanently storing it deep underground.

The refinery’s integration of environmentally conscious processes also includes low NOx (nitrogen oxide) burners and additional sulphur recovery. Fresh water use is minimized by utilizing highly efficient water treatment systems, maximizing air cooling for process purposes, and maximizing water recycling within the facility. Process water from the North Saskatchewan River will also be treated and reused multiple times. Surface water runoff from within the project site will be contained in engineered retention ponds and utilized for process purposes, again reducing the amount of fresh water being withdrawn from the North Saskatchewan River.

The refinery’s close proximity to existing infrastructure in the established heavy industrial region of Sturgeon County, as well as access to local resources and nearby major crude oil and diluent pipelines, also contribute to further reductions of the project’s environmental footprint.

Another key initiative that sets the Sturgeon Refinery above similar operations is its comprehensive recycling program, which sees 96 per cent of all construction waste and surplus site materials recycled.