The city’s skyline is about to change. The 30-metre stack at the Cenovus Lloydminster Asphalt Refinery is due to be replaced with a 60-metre pipe by 2025.
Cenovus brass say the new stack would mean better control of emissions at the ground level.
Patty Hill, director at the Lloydminster Asphalt Refinery says the stack is a safety feature that allows them to de-pressure equipment when there is a planned or unplanned outage. The flare which is seen at the top of the present stack works like a pilot light hence it is always on should they need to use the stack.
Cenovus Energy will have to bring the project forward to the Lloydminster city council for approval said Hill as she spoke at a community open house on Wednesday.
“The flare stack is moving from the east side of the facility over to the more central, west side of the facility. We recognize that the skyline is going to change on the refinery and people might have some questions about the project so we thought it was important to have an open house and answer any questions that they might have.”
Once council gives the green light, site preparation will begin next spring, equipment installation will follow in the fall, the new stack is to come online in summer 2025 and the old stack will be taken down in the fall of that year.
The new stack will be 62.5 metres high, says Hill.
“If we double the height of the flare system, we are going to be installing some air assist, so there are going to be some fans to help the flare be more efficient and doubling the height of the stack will actually help with ground level odours and emissions because it will allow the combusted materials to be better dispersed throughout the atmosphere,” says Hill.
The new stack will be located near 59 Avenue and 52 Street in an industrial area. The refinery presently has a capacity of 29,000 barrels per day.