Processing and Transportation

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

American Meter Co. Light Meter New York Photo taken at the Interpretive Center, currently located at the Town Hall in Turner Valley

Gauge From display in the Interpretive Center

Donated by Jim McCreary Photo taken at the Interpretive Center