Turboden to supply North America’s largest single-shaft ORC

The ORC system, which is planned to be implemented at Strathcona’s Orion thermal oil facility located near Cold Lake, Alberta (AB), Canada, will use waste heat recovery to generate carbon-free electricity, offsetting approximately 80 percent of the facility’s existing grid-power consumption.

Turboden has successfully implemented more than 400 ORC systems all over the world and across many diverse industries. We’re excited to showcase the substantial operational and environmental benefits of our technology at this scale and in this environment, said Paolo Bertuzzi, CEO of Turboden.

Implementing ORC technology at steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operations, like Orion, will allow Strathcona to capture previously lost low-grade thermal heat at approximately 150°C and convert it to emissions-free electricity that can be used to help self-power operations and reduce the need to draw from the local power grid.

Low-grade thermal heat from the Orion facility was previously released through aerial coolers.

We see tremendous value in implementing Turboden’s ORC system at our Orion facility. The technology will convert a waste energy stream from our SAGD operation into usable electricity, lowering power supply costs and reducing the carbon footprint of our operation – demonstrating once again how technology can be applied to improve both the economic and environmental performance of our industry, said Rob Morgan, President and CEO of Strathcona Resources.

Strathcona’s ORC implementation, the value of which has not been disclosed, is slated for completion in the first half of 2025.

The project will be constructed within the facility’s existing operational footprint and is estimated to result in approximately 740,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions over the project’s lifetime.