Solar-Activated Water Treatment to Accelerate Oil Sands Process-Affected Water Return

Solution Developer

H2nanO Inc.

Project Description

Oil sands surface mines hold over 400 million cubic metres of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) in tailings ponds. While OSPW is actively reused in mining operations, treatment of dissolved organics in OSPW could enable the accelerated return of the treated water to the watershed and the reduction of environmental risk. This is a high-priority challenge for Canada’s energy industry, which is seeking the most effective, economic, and sustainable technologies to meet forthcoming regulatory requirements. “Passive” treatments with low energy and operations inputs are desired by industry leaders.

To answer this challenge, H2nanO created SolarPass, a first-of-kind buoyant, sunlight-activated photocatalyst technology that can greatly accelerate the rate of OSPW detoxification and dissolved organics transformation. SolarPass provides high treatment strength – directly integrated and retrofitted into outdoor water systems – without the intensive capital, energy and chemical input.

H2nanO has developed SolarPass over five years with industry partners and academic experts. The two-year CRIN project will facilitate the onsite scale-up trials required to validate the efficacy and robustness of SolarPass under ‘real world’ treatment conditions and integrated with co-treatment processes. The project will enable the review of SolarPass as industry evaluates the best available technologies for emerging regulations.

CRIN’s investment will enable H2nanO and industry partners to scale and integrate SolarPass, contributing to energy industry water sustainability and addressing emerging treatment challenges in Canada and abroad. The project will directly create new high-quality, skilled, green jobs at H2nanO, including hiring from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities.

Project Resources