DSU™ Commercialization

Project period: 07/2016 - 08/2017

Field Upgrading Limited (Field) is commercializing their breakthrough heavy oil desulphurization technology (DSU™). The DSU™ process can take heavy oils and refinery bottoms and produce a product that fully complies with the ISO standard for marine fuels and is compatible with other bunkers and blend stocks. DSU™ also significantly increases the API gravity of the feedstocks while achieving a relatively higher yield compared to conventional technologies. In the case of oil sands bitumen, the API gravity is increased from 8 API to over 18 API, significantly reducing the need for diluent for pipeline transportation. The DSU™ process is much cleaner with no direct SOx, NOx, PM or GHG emissions and does not leave big piles of coke or asphaltenes behind. Field operates a pilot facility in Fort Saskatchewan to showcase the DSU™ technology. Using a custom designed impeller by Ekato, the pilot can process a range of sour heavy feedstocks from bitumen to refinery bottoms, including vacuum residue and asphaltenes. Field will use this pilot plant to gather the engineering data to scale up a design to the next stage commercial unit. Field and Ekato will partner to complete a series of tests at the pilot. This data will be evaluated and modeled at Ekato’s facility in Germany so that an optimized full-scale design can be engineered and priced. This project has the potential to expand the opportunity for both submitting companies. For Ekato, it is an opportunity to showcase their expertise and equipment in Alberta in an oil and gas application, using Field’s pilot facility, and to open up a new application for additional sales. Field receives the benefit of Ekato’s vast mixing expertise as we look to scaleup and commercialize the DSU process plus it provides us the exposure to the European market where we see great opportunity for our technology in the marine fuel market.