Hells Half Acre Oilfield Society - Processing and Transportation

EARLY DEVELOPMENT IN THE CANADIAN GAS PROCESSING INDUSTRY: THE TURNER VALLEY EXAMPLE

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 14:02:20 -0400

Introduction Canada was the first nation which found itself forced to treat large quantities of natural gas containing high percentages of hydrogen sulphide. In the early years Canadians worked with what was available, and in later years went on to pioneer some of the production techniques, a number of the processing procedures, and some of the metallurgy required to meet the challenge. Prior to the building of the Trans Canada Pipe Line and the West Coast Transmission Pipe Line in the mid-1950s most of the natural gas used did not contain elevated levels of hydrogen sulphide. Exceptions were, first, the Madison Natural Gas Company plant at Turner Valley, Alberta and later, the Texaco installations at Bonnie Glen and the Shell facility at Jumping Pound. The building of the two pipelines meant that there was a growing demand for natural gas, and to meet it, much on the natural gas with high levels of hydrogen sulphide and CO2 is widely distributed in nature and is a minor component of air. It is highly soluble in water and oil, especially under pressure. In water, it occurs as carbonic acid, a weak acid that can donate one or two hydrogen ions in neutralization reactions that produce bicarbonate HCO3- and carbonate CO3-2 salts or ions. CO2, being an acid in water, reacts instantly with NaOH or KOH in an alkaline water mud, forming carbonate and bicarbonate ions. Similarly, it reacts with Ca(OH)2 (lime) to form insoluble calcium carbonate and water. ">carbon dioxide along the Rocky Mountain foothills and in northeastern British Columbia was required.

PLANT PROCESSES

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:51:58 -0400

This Gas Plant made raw and dangerous natural gas containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and various liquids and gases safe for commercial consumption. The plant processed this brew into its component parts and made safe natural gas, elemental sulphur, propane, butane and gasoline among other products.

Royalite Oil

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:32:32 -0400

This company began at the drill site of Dingman #1, (Alberta's first major gas discovery in 1914). It came about when Calgary Petroleum Product Company had only nine wells in operation by 1920, and produced just 66,000 barrels of natural gas in 10 years. That coupled with the fire that ripped through the absorption plant in October of that year. Being unable to pay the $50,000 repair bill sold its operations to Imperial Oil. Imperial Oil reorganized the company under the name Royalite Oil Company Ltd.

Engines at the Gas Plant

Mon, 6 Jun 2005 17:44:57 -0400

excellent example of gas processing technologies from the 1930s to 1950s.

Stuck in the mud

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 15:43:13 -0400

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Production Graphs

Thu, 2 Jun 2005 16:36:33 -0400

Graphs of production at Turner Valley

From, Historic Turner Valley, Cradle of Westen Canada's Oil and Gas Industry, back of contents

instrument used to measure the viscosity of petroleum

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:47:19 -0500

A instrument used to measure the viscosity of petroleum products. Viscosity is a measure of how easily a fluid flows. The slower the flow rate, the higher the viscosity. Molasses is very viscous, where as water is not very viscous at all.

Light Meter

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:44:33 -0500

American Meter Co.
Light Meter
New York

Photo taken at the Interpretive Center, currently located at the Town Hall in Turner Valley

Gauge

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:32:02 -0500

Gauge

From display in the Interpretive Center

tools

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:20:51 -0500

Donated by Jim McCreary

Photo taken at the Interpretive Center

Pressure gauge

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:19:33 -0500

Pressure gauge from steam building

Photo taken at the Interpretive Center

Nalcometer

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:17:07 -0500

The nalcometer measures the concentration of dissolved solids present in a liquid sample

Photo taken at the Interpretive Center

Sewing Machine

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:52:59 -0500

Sewing Machine was located in the Sulphur bagging shed on the gas plant site
Bobbin spool and top spool (waxed by Stu)
Donated by Stu Ewing

Photo taken at the Interpretive Center

Scrubbers, Absorbers and Lean Mean Oil!!

Fri, 20 May 2005 17:20:04 -0400

The raw natural gas that is pumped from the earth's reservoirs in the Turner Valley field is wet gas. That means it contains various substances that need to be removed before the gas can be sold to consumers. While these substances are considered impurities when they are mixed in with the gas, many are valuable products on their own. Once removed from the gas, they are refined and prepared for sale to consumers.

Transportation

Fri, 20 May 2005 17:27:18 -0400

In the early days of the Turner Valley oil field, roads were to transport supplies to the oil rigs, the gas plant, and for public automobiles. The roads were first made of dirt and later gravel. After a rainfall, the roads became nearly impassable.