Molten Sodium Upgrading Pilot Plant 

Enlighten Innovations (Formerly Field Upgrading Ltd)


Project Type

Demonstration

Project Value

$29,100,000

Project Status

Complete

Location

Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Funding Amount

$8,928,600

Founded by oil and gas industry leaders, Guy Turcotte and Neil Camarta, Field Upgrading is a Canadian company based in Calgary, Alberta. Field Upgrading partnered with Ceramatec, a specialty ceramics company, to develop a new breakthrough heavy oil desulphurization and upgrading technology called de-sulphurization and upgrading (DSU).

Field Upgrading’s DSU technology selectively targets the components of bitumen, or other heavy petroleum feedstocks, that reduce the value of an upgraded product (including sulphur, heavy metals and TAN) without reducing the volumetric yield. This technology significantly increases the API gravity producing a near pipeline-ready product with no SOx emissions and lower GHG lifecycle emissions.

At half the capital intensity of a typical upgrader, the DSU technology has the potential to significantly improve the economics of adding value to bitumen in Alberta. It can also be used to directly convert super heavy oil products, such as vacuum residue and asphaltenes, to low sulphur marine fuel, helping the global shipping industry meet the new standards on sulphur emissions.

Field Upgrading will design, build and operate a 10 barrel per day pilot facility to showcase and further test the technology across a range of heavy feedstocks from bitumen to refinery intermediates, including vacuum residue.