Release Date: March 23, 2009
Media Contact: Dale Johnson, External Relations
E-mail: Dale.Johnson@uregina.ca
Phone: 306-585-5439
Mobile: 306-536-4312
Fax: 306-585-4997
SaskEnergy funds pipeline gas purification research at the University of Regina
The University of Regina announced today that a natural gas purification research project funded by SaskEnergy is underway on campus. The Crown corporation is investing $300,000 to fund a three-year research project aimed at finding new ways of removing contaminants from natural gas wells, and gas associated with oil production, prior to the gas being distributed for customer use.

"Research is an important part of our province's economy as the solutions developed by our universities today create jobs, investment opportunities and continued growth tomorrow," says Crown Corporations Minister Ken Cheveldayoff. "When natural gas does not meet SaskEnergy's strict pipeline specifications, and a gas processing plant is not nearby, often a producer has to flare that gas, creating greenhouse gas emission. This project has tremendous potential to allow industry to access greater volumes of Saskatchewan natural gas, while providing an important environmental benefit."

SaskEnergy's objective is to develop a cost-effective purification technology that can be used at the natural gas well site or oil battery, offering high performance of impurity removal for locations too distant from a gas processing plant.  Impurities such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and other hydrocarbons can interfere with pipeline operations and also reduce the safety and efficiency of natural gas appliances, such as furnaces and boilers.

"Industry partnerships such as this are very important in helping to grow and advance the research being done in many areas at the University of Regina," says President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Vianne Timmons. "I want to thank SaskEnergy for investing in this project that not only responds to the needs of SaskEnergy and its customers, but also has potential economic and environmental benefits for the province as a whole."   

The University of Regina research team, led by two Faculty of Engineering professors, Dr. Amornvadee Veawab and Dr. Adisorn Aroonwilas, is working with SaskEnergy to complete three stages of primary research to meet the needs of Saskatchewan natural gas producers. They hope to find an economical, small-scale means of removing contaminants from produced natural gas, and then find a way to transport these byproducts through the existing pipeline systems. 

Once the purification technology is ready for field testing, the University of Regina and SaskEnergy will work with the natural gas industry to locate a suitable testing site within Saskatchewan.

Media contact:                                                                    
Dale Johnson
External Relations, University of Regina                                                                          
Phone: (306) 585-5439
Fax: (306) 585-4997
Cell: (306) 536-4312
E-mail: dale.johnson@uregina.ca

Rebecca Rogoschewsky
Communications Officer, SaskEnergy
Phone: (306) 777-9722
Cell: (306) 535-5275
Email: rrogoschewsky@saskenergy.com