Pierre River Mine Project

MINING AND PROCESSING ERCB SIRS 3 – 38
Section 4.1
Response 25a The corrected material balance for a typical operating calendar day case is shown
in Figure ERCB 25-1 and is also provided in Section 2.3, Supplemental
Information Errata.
Request 25b Provide corrected material balances for the stream day basis for:
i. Asphaltene Recovery Unit: Maltene balance, asphaltene balance, solids
balance, solvent balance
Response 25b The corrected material balance for a typical operating stream day case is shown
in Figure ERCB 25-2. The correct information is also provided in Section 2.3,
Supplemental Information Errata.
Question No. 26
Request Volume 1, Section 10.1, Page 10-129, Supplemental Information Responses.
Table 197-2 and Table 197-3 show the solvent losses from the TSRU unit only.
26a Provide an updated table that includes site-wide solvent losses from all sources
including flared losses, tank losses, etc.
Response 26a Most of the solvent losses are from the TSRU tailings. The design basis for the
Pierre River Mine is that there will be no solvent flaring. Other losses, such as
tank losses, are relatively minor compared to the solvent loss in the TRSU
tailings. The expected emission rate from the solvent tank is only 2,060 kg/a.
Table 197-2 and 197-3 have been updated to reflect solvent losses from other
sources, and are reproduced here as Table ERCB 26-1 and ERCB 26-2.
Table ERCB 26-1: Solvent Loss for Material Balances with Asphaltene Recovery Unit
Solvent Solvent Recovered
Loss in Asphaltene Tank Losses
Bitumen (TSRU) Recovery Unit Plus Other Solvent Loss per
Basis (t/h) (t/h)
(t/h)
(t/h) 1,000 Volumes
Calendar day 1,362 3.26 0.67 0.03 2.96
Stream day
Note:
1,656 3.96 0.81 0.03 2.95
specific gravity of solvent = 0.65
specific gravity of bitumen = 1.0
solvent loss per 1,000 volumes = (total solvent loss – AER solvent recovery) X 1000
(solvent SAG * bitumen)
April 2010 Shell Canada Limited 4-23
CR029