Potential For Water Slurry Transport of Alberta Coal to Pacific Tidewater

Abstract

Abstract Worldwide demand for commodities produced in Western Canada is expected to increase significantly over the next ten years. Coal, grain, sulphur, potash and other commodities are expected to swell freight volumes by 1990. In the past, the railways have responded to increased traffic with system upgrading on a progressive basis, but they indicate that what is needed now is a major program of capacity expansion. This will be the largest railway undertaking since the original lines were constructed. Coal is a major contributor to this unprecedented growth in traffic volume to the West Coast. In 1980, 14.1 million tonnes were exported. By 1985, the demand is expected to be 39.9 million tonnes and is predicted to reach 53.3 million tonnes by 1990. Although the present unit train system of moving export coal to seaboard is considered to be one of the world's most efficient rail capacity problems pose a serious threat to Canada's potentialfor supplying a significant portion of world steam coal requirements. How then can the pressure on the transport system be alleviated? The Alberta Government decided to investigate a coal slurry pipeline as an alternative method of transport for coal. Introduction A study(l) was commissioned by the Alberta Government to determine the technical feasibility and the estimated cost of a slurry pipeline for the transport of thermal coal from central Western Alberta sources to a Canadian west coast trans-shipment facility for eventual export to foreign markets. The results of this study have verified the technical feasibility of this concept:a water source that meets system quality and quantity requirements has been identified;analysis of the coal to be shipped indicates that state-of-the-art design and equipment can be used to produce and transport the coal slurry from mine to port site;a pipeline route has been selected that will permit adherence to the design requirements of a slurry pipeline system;state-of-the-art technology can be utilized to dewater the slurry for either slurry or dry bulk loading. Preliminary economic evaluation indicates that a coal slurry pipeline of about 15 million tonnes of coal per year capacity can reduce shipping costs in the 1990s, with progressively increasing benefits. Railway Transportation Demand Forecast Projections for the next decade would indicate that the volume of commodities to be transported by Canadian railways from (Table on full paper) the Prairies to Canada's west coast will experience an increase unprecedented in the history of Canada. The over-all volume is estimated to be more than two and one half times that of 1980 (Table 1). Although this demand forecast was prepared prior to the drastic economic slowdown which has worldwide ramifications, it can be expected that the demand pattern will, in due course, return to its previous curve. The demand forecast requires a serious look at railway capacities. Rail Capacity and Capital Requirements When reviewing rail capacity from Alberta to the west coast, it must be borne in mind that the railways must traverse one of the world's most difficult railway terrains.