Whereas conventional slurry pipelines rely on liquids such as water to carry entrained solids, the Enbridge project proposes using carbon dioxide. Enbridge says that carbon dioxide is a more efficient carrier fluid than water because it is less abrasive, is able to carry a greater volume of material, and delivers solids that are dry rather than wet.
It is intended that captured carbon dioxide will be compressed into a liquid, then pumped through a pipeline to transport materials. Afterwards, the carbon dioxide will be stored underground in a manner similar to carbon capture and storage projects.
The government funding will be used for Phase 1 of the project, which will cost $1–2 million and take approximately two years to complete. This phase, the CO2 Slurry Pipeline Research Initiative, will determine the viability of building a long-distance carbon dioxide slurry pipeline, which would transport sulphur, petroleum coke and limestone from the Fort McMurray area to local and international markets.
Phase 2 will involve building a carbon dioxide flow loop to prove slurry and de-slurry capability, while Phase 3 will involve commercial operation and market integration.
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Enbridge Senior Vice President for Green Energy Jim Schultz said “A slurry pipeline would benefit the environment in that carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere will be used to transport goods.”
“It would also have the potential to offset some of the costs associated with carbon capture and storage initiatives.”
The government grant is part of the $US1.5 billion ecoTrust for Clean Air and Climate Change, established by the Canadian Federal Government in 2007.