At OTC 2023, Cannon Artes announces a contract to construct a thermophysical deaerator using the company’s proprietary ZeroGas technology at a plant in Texas producing blue ammonia.

Cannon Artes, part of the Cannon Group, is a leading global engineering and construction company which provides tailored water and wastewater treatment plants for the Oil & Gas industry.

At OTC 2023, Cannon Artes announced a contract to construct a thermophysical deaerator using the company’s proprietary ZeroGas technology at a plant in Texas that produces blue ammonia.

During ammonia synthesis, a thermophysical deaerator removes the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen from boiler feedwater to help protect the steam generation system from the effects of corrosive gases.

Ammonia is a chemical compound consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen and is commonly used to produce synthetic nitrogen (urea) fertilizers. However, it possesses numerous benefits as a carbon-free fuel and as a medium for the storage and transportation of hydrogen. Blue ammonia is a low-carbon method of producing the chemical compound which, when reconverted into hydrogen does not produce any CO₂ and is used in fuel cell applications.

“Cannon Artes’ ZeroGas thermophysical deaeration is a specific technology in which dissolved gases are removed from the liquid phase by reducing the partial pressure of oxygen and CO₂ over the liquid surface by replacing air with steam. For this project we adopt the spray-and-tray configuration whereby the degassing process is achieved in the deaerating tower where make-up water is atomized on a set of special structured packing,” said Alessio Liati, Sales Director at Cannon Artes. “Based on our ZeroGas technology, we have also developed vacuum degassing packages which are a cornerstone for injection water treatment, a key process in upstream oil and gas production where high-pressure oxygen-free water is pumped around the oil reservoir to help increase and maintain high oil recovery levels and we have several installed and ongoing projects worldwide.”

Water is a crucial resource for an array of products and processes in the pursuit of energy transition and Cannon is conscious of their responsibility to help empower the industry to use it sustainably. Additional water and wastewater treatment technology for energy transition processes includes carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), ultra-pure water for EV batteries and the mining of related critical minerals, and hydrogen generation.

Earlier this year, to recap Cannon Artes’ varied expertise for customized water and wastewater treatment plants for the Oil & Gas industry, the company was awarded one of the largest ever turnkey contracts by the Suez Oil Processing Company (SOPC) in Egypt to build a desalination and demineralization plant, part of the modernization of the company’s Suez refinery. The contract is valued at an estimated $31 million and is expected to come on stream by the end of 2024.

“Cannon Artes will be responsible for all stages of this huge assignment from detailed engineering design, construction and delivery of the entire water treatment infrastructure including pre-commissioning and commission, and start-up,” said Alessio Liati, Sales Director at Cannon Artes. “The scope of this major project provides our team unique engineering challenges and calls upon our vast expertise, technology and know-how to realize this milestone facility for the Suez Oil Processing Company.”

The plant will be fed with water from the Red Sea and will be treated to provide high-purity demineralized water to feed high-pressure steam boilers as well as low-salinity make-up water for cooling towers. It will occupy an area of 76,900 sq ft – like a football stadium – with an overall capacity of over 1 million cu ft/day and will rely on Cannon Artes’ capabilities and experience in both desalination plants and customized solutions for refineries.

Cannon Artes is exhibiting at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2023) held at the “NRG Park”, Houston (TX) May 1-4 Booth 3939 located in the IES Italy Group Pavilion.