Development of thermally stable and fouling-resistant polymeric membranes for SAGD produced water treatment

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Fluctuating oil prices and recent Federal and Provincial efforts to address climate change and to protect water resources are motivating the oil sands industry to develop technologies that reduce the operating cost per barrel of product and the amount of energy and freshwater consumed during resource extraction. The proposed research project will pursue this goal by developing innovative nano-enabled membranes with enhanced filtration performance. The membrane technology, equipped with our membranes, offers a promising alternative to current processes by providing higher separation efficiency and thermal stability. Thermally tolerant membranes have the potential to improve heat integration in thermal extraction facilities, thereby reducing boiler feed water heating requirements and greenhouse gas production. This proposal is the result of three years of research involving oil sands companies, through Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), to develop nanocomposite membranes for the treatment of oil sands produced water. The extended work on selected membrane materials (nanocomposite membranes by carbon-based nanomaterials, e.g., graphene, and nanopatterned membranes) and the production of larger-scale membranes has the potential to improve the efficiency of water treatment in oil sands, leading to decreased energy usage and increased water recycle. Our specific goals are to (1) develop thermally stable and antifouling membranes, (2) fabricate larger-scale membranes and development of spiral wound modules, (3) test the membranes for the filtration of oil sands produced water at elevated temperatures (>90oC). The proposed membrane technology will be tailored first for oil sands produced water; however, there are many other water remediation issues in other sectors that it will address. The technology will also positively contribute to the health of Canadians as it will reduce contaminants in our environment and maintain the integrity of our water systems. The HQP will appreciate the importance of water management in the natural resource sector, which will be an asset in the development of emerging technologies and future water policies.