This project aims to capture approximately 650,000 tons of CO2 per year at Shell's refinery and chemical plant near Edmonton, transporting it via a 22 km pipeline to the Atlas storage complex for permanent underground injection.
Construction operations at the project site began in late 2024 and will continue until the facility becomes operational in 2028.
Sarens has been directly involved in the construction of this complex, transporting an Amine Absorber, an Amine Stripper, and a Quench Tower, with loads in excess of 866,000 lbs, using two Kamag K25 platform trailers with bolsters consisting of 56 axle lines total, plus a CC6800 crane supported by a CC2800 as the tail crane.
Construction work on the new Shell Polaris CCS Project in Scotford, near Edmonton, Alberta, is already having a significant socioeconomic impact on the surrounding area. It is estimated that this project has already generated more than 2,000 direct jobs during the early stages of development, which will be maintained at least until it becomes operational in 2028.
The main purpose of this project is to capture more than 650,000 tons of CO2 per year from Shell's refinery and chemical plant near Alberta. It has a 22-km pipeline to transport the captured waste to the Atlas storage hub, where it will be permanently injected underground. Construction of this project began in the summer of 2024, although the first movements of machinery at the site started in October of that year.
Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport, and crane rental services, played a direct role in this project, leading the transport and installation of key modules. Sarens was responsible for transporting oversized components, including an Amine Absorber and Stripper, as well as a Quench Tower, weighing over 393 tons (866,000 lbs). To do this, two Kamag K25 trailers with a total of 56 axle lines were used, traveling on various local roads for more than 8 hours.
Sarens' technical team was also responsible for lifting the heavy materials once they arrived at the location where they were to be installed. A Demag CC6800 crane was used to position the amine absorber (over 71 meters high), with a CC2800 crane unit providing assistance. The other two modules, the amine stripper and the quench tower, were positioned using 24 Kamag K24 SPMTs.
This project will have a significant impact on environmental conditions in the region, as it will absorb more than 40% of CO2 emissions from Shell's Scotford refinery and approximately 22% of those produced by the chemical plant, thereby helping to reduce pollution and improve living conditions for the local population. The experience gained at the Quest CCS plant located near Polaris, which has already stored more than 9 tons of CO2 since its commissioning in 2015, has been taken into account for this project.
According to Paul Betts, Sarens Project Manager, "Sarens has established itself as one of the main players in the creation of strategically important infrastructure for Canada, thanks to its international experience and its commitment to safety and efficiency in the projects in which it participates. In the case of Polaris CCS, our participation was key to its development, so we can only thank our team for their professionalism and dedication to meeting all the deadlines set by our client. Similarly, we look forward to continuing to collaborate with Shell on the development of similar infrastructure on a regular basis."
Sarens has been a key player in the Canadian construction industry for years, thanks to the wide experience of its team, its in-depth knowledge of the sector and its extensive portfolio of cranes and modular transports. Among others, Sarens has worked on the updating of the heating, ventilation & air conditioning systems of Scarborough General Hospital or Finch West Station project -both in Toronto-, installing 30 precast ceiling panels of 3.25 tons each below ground level, and was also able to contribute to the renovation of Union Station, where the team carried out the lifting and subsequent installation of several 9.4-ton iron girders for the flying garden connecting the station's north and south towers.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 65 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/