Grant: Industrial Research Chairs
University of Alberta
$433,000.00
NSERC/COSIA Industrial Research Chair in Oil Sand Tailings Geotechnique
EF 2020-21
Résumé
The oil sands are viewed as a vital component to the Canadian economy. At the same time, the environmental
impacts of oil sands operations are also growing. Tailings impoundments are used almost exclusively for waste
management, and the combined footprint for these impoundments is currently more than 220 km2. Processed
oil sands ore yields a tailings slurry composed of water, sand, silt and clay (or "fines"), and a small amount of
residual bitumen. The tailings are discharged into a settling basin, allowing the sand fraction to settle quickly
on the beach with the balance of fine tailings settling in the pond.
The Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and have partnered with UAlberta to significantly
advance the rate at which tailings ponds can be reclaimed. The proposed research program consists of
complementary themes that integrate multidisciplinary expertise from UAlberta and industry. The research
proposes the development and application of new and innovative geotechniques to design dry stacked deposits
for the oil sands industry while simultaneously investigating geotechnical and bio-geochemical aspects of
current oil sands tailings management and reclamation strategies. The proposed research program focuses on:
Theme 1: Engineered Mixtures of Tailings and Overburden for Dry Stacked Deposits
Theme 2: Influence of Bio-geo-chemical Interactions on the Geotechnical Behaviour of Soft Tailings
Theme 3: Capping Soft Tailings Deposits
These complementary themes aim to conduct research that looks to the future of tailings deposits, while
providing research for immediate/interim challenges. It is anticipated that 15 highly qualified personnel will be
trained through the research program. Further, the collaboration between industry and academia will enable
fundamental discoveries for the behaviour and improved management of fluid fine tailings, benefitting the
engineering discipline, and bolster the University of Alberta and Canada's position as an international leader in
mining reclamation and oil sands tailings geotechnique.
Programme
Industrial Research Chairs
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Alberta, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
Tel que publié
Application id
460863-2018
Name nom
Wilson, Gordon
Department département
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Organization id
9
Institution établissement
University of Alberta
Province en
Alberta
Province fr
Alberta
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2020
Competition year année de concours
2018
Award amount
433000
Program id
IRCPJ
Program name en
Industrial Research Chairs
Program name fr
Professeurs-chercheurs industriels
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
141
Committee name en
University/Industry
Committee name fr
Universités/industrie
Area of application code
1002
Area of application group en
Northern development
Area of application group fr
Développement du nord
Area of application en
Environment
Area of application fr
Environnement
Research subject code
1002
Research subject group en
Civil engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie civil
Research subject en
Geotechnical engineering (including engineering geology)
Research subject fr
Géotechnique (y compris génie géologique)
Installment
inst:7 - 7
Partie
1
Nb partie
7
Application title
NSERC/COSIA Industrial Research Chair in Oil Sand Tailings Geotechnique
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
The oil sands are viewed as a vital component to the Canadian economy. At the same time, the environmental
impacts of oil sands operations are also growing. Tailings impoundments are used almost exclusively for waste
management, and the combined footprint for these impoundments is currently more than 220 km2. Processed
oil sands ore yields a tailings slurry composed of water, sand, silt and clay (or "fines"), and a small amount of
residual bitumen. The tailings are discharged into a settling basin, allowing the sand fraction to settle quickly
on the beach with the balance of fine tailings settling in the pond.
The Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and have partnered with UAlberta to significantly
advance the rate at which tailings ponds can be reclaimed. The proposed research program consists of
complementary themes that integrate multidisciplinary expertise from UAlberta and industry. The research
proposes the development and application of new and innovative geotechniques to design dry stacked deposits
for the oil sands industry while simultaneously investigating geotechnical and bio-geochemical aspects of
current oil sands tailings management and reclamation strategies. The proposed research program focuses on:
Theme 1: Engineered Mixtures of Tailings and Overburden for Dry Stacked Deposits
Theme 2: Influence of Bio-geo-chemical Interactions on the Geotechnical Behaviour of Soft Tailings
Theme 3: Capping Soft Tailings Deposits
These complementary themes aim to conduct research that looks to the future of tailings deposits, while
providing research for immediate/interim challenges. It is anticipated that 15 highly qualified personnel will be
trained through the research program. Further, the collaboration between industry and academia will enable
fundamental discoveries for the behaviour and improved management of fluid fine tailings, benefitting the
engineering discipline, and bolster the University of Alberta and Canada's position as an international leader in
mining reclamation and oil sands tailings geotechnique.
