Project Overview
GWTS provided pilot-to-commercial design, supply, and operation of centrifugation and tailings dewatering systems for a major oil sands Mature Fine Tailings (MFT) treatment program in Alberta, spanning 2012 to 2017. This multi-year engagement progressed from initial pilot testing through to commercial-scale deployment and ongoing operations, with 75–90% of scope self-performed by the GWTS team.
Mature Fine Tailings (MFT) represents one of the most challenging environmental liabilities in the oil sands industry. MFT is a suspension of fine clay particles (predominantly <44 µm) in saline water, accumulated over decades in tailings ponds. The extremely slow natural consolidation of MFT — and the regulatory requirements to accelerate reclamation — drove the development and deployment of active dewatering technologies including centrifugation.
Technical Scope
- Pilot testing program design and operation to characterize MFT rheology and centrifuge performance
- Centrifuge technology selection, vendor evaluation, and procurement
- Process design for commercial-scale centrifugation and dewatering system
- System engineering — mechanical, electrical, piping, and process control
- Equipment supply, fabrication, and integration
- Site construction, installation, and commissioning
- Commercial-scale operations and maintenance management
- Performance optimization over multi-year operational period (2012–2017)
Technical Challenge
MFT dewatering by centrifugation is technically demanding for several reasons:
- Rheology variability: MFT composition and flow behaviour varies significantly across pond locations and depths, requiring robust process design that accommodates a wide range of feed conditions
- Scale: Commercial MFT treatment programs require very high throughput — thousands of cubic metres per day — demanding large, reliable centrifuge installations
- Product handling: Dewatered MFT (centrifuge cake) must achieve a minimum solids content and geotechnical strength to be suitable for reclamation use
- Process water quality: Centrate (the water fraction recovered from centrifugation) contains fine clays, residual organics, and dissolved solids requiring further treatment before reuse