A Canadian company is seeking to convince the Egyptian oil sector of its technical solutions to reduce emissions from crude transport operations, through a project aimed at converting liquid oil into solid.
In this context, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla and Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad held a meeting via visual communication technology with the President of the Canadian company BITCRUDE ENERGY Cal Browder, in the presence of a number of Egyptian officials.
During the meeting, the Canadian company presented to the Egyptian oil sector the innovative technologies it had developed for transporting and processing crude oil at a zero emissions rate, within the framework of working to use fossil fuels in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
Project details
The Canadian company explained that the innovative technologies it has developed work to convert the ore into a solid form, making it safe for the environment during transportation, according to the directions of its distribution to the internal or external markets, and then conducting processing operations to return the ore to its original state, as well as the possibility of refining it to obtain products. High quality oil.
The company expressed its desire to cooperate with the Egyptian oil sector and its interest in investing in Egypt in this activity, in light of the serious tendency it perceived to adopt sustainable and environmentally friendly methods in the field of energy, especially in the use of fossil fuels in an environmentally responsible manner with the aim of reducing emissions.
The Canadian company presented a proposal to implement a project to treat and refine oil by applying the technologies it uses at a zero emissions rate, in order to achieve the commitments Egypt made at the COP 27 climate summit, and based on Egypt’s unique position as a regional energy center and gateway to the continent of Africa.
Project study
The Egyptian oil sector announced the study of the project proposal submitted by the Canadian company, and the possibility of its implementation.
Although Egypt has not taken a decision on the project, it may be a “fake” project in light of the availability of infrastructure in Egypt, including pipelines for oil transportation, as well as work to stop associated gas emissions and convert them into fuel.
Sources, who declined to be named, revealed that the Canadian company’s plans may face failure, as Canada itself relies on pipelines to transport its oil to ports, and many Canadian companies are struggling to continue pumping oil to American ports through pipelines, and have entered into many conflicts. judicial.
The sources stressed that the process of converting oil into steel is more suitable with heavy ores, which are close to the type of Canadian ores, which are diluted in order to pump them through pipelines.
Experts who spoke to the specialist energy platform explained that heavy oil is usually closer to asphalt, so converting it from its liquid state to solid is easy.
A source said that Canada produces huge quantities of very heavy oil that resembles asphalt, and has a high viscosity, not solid, but close to a solid state, and it is mixed with very light oil materials so that it produces a medium substance in order to flow in the pipes.
He stressed that the Canadian companies do not have technology or technology, they just want to transport the oil in its condition for blending in other countries.
Canadian company claims
Canada’s Bitcrude Energy announced in January 2021 the completion of its commercial production offering, which ensures safe, environmentally enhanced and cost-effective transportation of bitumen, complementing Canada’s traditional pipeline networks.
The Canadian company relied on the proven capacity of its diluent recovery unit, to dispose of the diluents from the conventional pipeline operation of the Canadian oil sands and other West Heavy oil.
Bitcrude technology is an innovative method for transporting bitumen 100% safely to the local and international markets in its natural state, in the form of a solid.
Bitcrude had successfully shipped – in September 2019 – the equivalent of 150 barrels of bitumen, with a density of 7.6 degrees on the API scale, from an oil sands company, in one modified container to Asia.
The company points out that its product is non-toxic, floats in both sea and fresh water, and since it is a solid, it does not disperse in water and can be easily recovered in the event of an accident, meaning it reduces oil spills.
The product that emerges from the process is semi-solid, which makes it safe to transport in designated shipping containers on standard rail and ship infrastructure, both domestically and internationally.
How is bitumen transported via Bitcrude?
The first step is to remove the diluent from the diluted bitumen, creating a “bitcrude” product that is safe and non-toxic to marine life, the company announced on its website.
The second step is to transport the final product safely in dedicated containers in solid form anywhere in the world, using existing rail and ship infrastructure.
Bitcrude uses a first-of-its-kind electric diluent recovery unit to create a solid form of crude oil that is safe to transport.
The process removes all additives, including the thinner, from the diluted bitumen, leaving a 100% pure ore that is non-toxic and harmless to transport.
When heated, undiluted solid bitumen is poured into designated containers; It is then allowed to cool and solidify, making it safe for transportation, and at the final destination, the solid bitumen is heated to be converted back into a liquid, ready for refining operations.
Bitumen is being turned into valuable products, such as asphalt and low sulfur diesel, and other daily consumer goods.
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