Advancing carbon solutions and reducing emissions at Redwater
Published: Jan 08, 2024
Our nitrogen operations at Redwater continues to lead by example, boosting the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestered through the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line (ACTL) and, by virtue of this, its production of low-carbon ammonia.
The production of ammonia (NH3) also co-produces a pure stream of CO2. The ammonia produced at Redwater, sold primarily for agricultural use in Western Canada, is also upgraded to produce urea (a dry granular nitrogen product) by combining ammonia with this CO2. Prior to 2020, excess process CO2 was vented into the atmosphere.
Redwater started exporting CO2 into the ACTL in late 2019 for permanent sequestration via enhanced oil recovery. In July 2023, the site completed a CO2 system expansion project to boost CO2 sequestration by an additional 40 percent with the ability to export over 800 tonnes per day into the ACTL.
The expansion included adding a blower, pump, instrumentation and piping to increase the pressure and control the temperature of the CO2 to be compatible with the existing CO2 export system. The project also maximizes the volume of CO2 sequestered while allowing the site to optimize production of its products.
As a result of this expansion, Redwater will have the ability to capture and export over 300,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The greenhouse gas emissions sequestered from Redwater are equal to taking over 66,000 gas-powered cars off the road each year.
“It’s rewarding to be part of this team contributing to a more sustainable future and helping Nutrien meet our target to incrementally reduce emissions by one million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2023,” says Ron Jennings, General Manager, Redwater. “The expansion continues to put Alberta on the map as a leader in carbon capture use and storage.”
Redwater now provides the 240 km ACTL, a joint venture with our partners Wolf Midstream and Enhance Energy, with consistent volume to run at maximum capacity for enhanced oil recovery and permanent sequestration. Since 2019, Nutrien has sequestered over 600,000 tonnes of CO2 in the ACTL.
“This project is a great example of how we remain at the forefront of innovative and economically viable emission reduction solutions,” says Blake Adair, Senior Director, Environmental Performance and Innovation.
About our Redwater Nitrogen facility
- Redwater, Alberta is located 52 km north of Edmonton
- There are currently over 400 employees working at the facility
- Redwater has the capacity to produce 951,000 (gross) tonnes of ammonia and other nitrogen-based fertilizers including solid urea, UAN, ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate
