Using Polymer Reaction Engineering Principles to Help the Environment: The Case of the Canadian Oil Sands Tailings

The Canadian oil sands reserves are an important national resource with a large impact on the Canadian economy. Unfortunately, oil sands extraction processes generate toxic by-products called mature fine tailings that need to be stored in disposal ponds for a very long time before the land can be reclaimed. This serious environmental liability needs to be addressed to reduce the environmental footprint of oil sands operations in Canada. In our research group, we have been applying polymer reaction engineering principles to develop new polymer flocculants specifically designed to treat oil sands tailing ponds. This article gives an overview of the research activities in our laboratory in the area of water-soluble polymer flocculants for the efficient dewatering, consolidation and densification of mature fine tailings.加拿大油砂储量是重要的国家战略资源，对加拿大国民经济影响深远。然而，油砂开采过程会产生名为成熟细尾矿（mature fine tailings）的有毒副产物，此类副产物需长期储存于处置塘中，直至后续开展土地复垦工作。这一严峻的环境责任亟待妥善解决，以降低加拿大油砂开采活动的环境足迹。本研究团队长期依托高分子反应工程原理，研发专为油砂尾矿塘处理设计的新型高分子絮凝剂。本文概述了本实验室在水溶性高分子絮凝剂领域的研究工作，该类絮凝剂可实现成熟细尾矿的高效脱水、固结与致密化。