Syncrude Canada Ltd.'s system for recycling process water provides the hot water needed to extract bitumen from the oil sands and the cold water needed by the upgrader to turn bitumen into Syncrude Sweet Blend.
Key to this system are the preheaters – 10 shell and tube heat exchangers that recover heat from warm process cooling water returning from the upgrading units and preheat the water used to extract bitumen from the oil sands.
| Year | Net Savings for Winter (in $) - approximate |
|---|---|
| 1998-1999 | 1 250 000 |
| 1999-2000 | 500 000 |
| 2000-2001 | 1 250 000 |
| 2001-2002 | 950 000 |
| 2002-2003 | 2 100 000 |
| 2003-2004 | 2 400 000 |