On-Site Water Treatment Solution for Gas Pipeline Project – Bécancour
As part of the development of critical infrastructure to support Quebec’s growing battery manufacturing sector, a gas pipeline project was launched in Bécancour. The pipeline is key to supplying energy to nearby battery plants, and drilling operations are central to its construction.
However, like many large-scale excavation projects, this one ran into an environmental compliance challenge. The drilling process generated large volumes of water loaded with fine rock particles—water that couldn’t be discharged into the surrounding environment due to its high suspended solids content. Left unresolved, this posed a serious risk to both environmental standards and project timelines.
Challenges
As the drill moved through dense geological formations, it created a slurry of water and fine particles that overwhelmed traditional decantation methods. The sediment levels were far too high for the water to settle naturally within a reasonable timeframe.
To keep excavation pits from flooding and avoid work stoppages, the client began trucking the contaminated water to an external treatment facility. While this workaround kept the project moving, it came at a steep price:
- Significant transport and treatment costs
- Operational inefficiencies and delays
- Environmental impact of frequent tanker truck use
The client needed a faster, more sustainable solution that could treat the water onsite and restore uninterrupted operations.
Outcomes
The response was both swift and effective. Within a short timeframe, two customized water treatment systems were installed directly at the project site:
- Two coagulant dosing systems to chemically bind fine particles
- Two 6” dissolver units to enhance the flocculation process
The treated water was then routed to the client’s existing baker tanks, where suspended solids settled out before the water was safely discharged.
This approach allowed the water to meet natural environmental discharge standards—right on site.
The results were immediate and measurable:
- No more reliance on tanker trucks to haul contaminated water off-site
- Elimination of external treatment costs
- Effluent compliant with environmental discharge standards
- Streamlined excavation workflow and fewer interruptions
What began as an operational bottleneck turned into a showcase of agile environmental engineering, saving both time and money while upholding strict ecological guidelines.