Carson Creek Decommissioning

Dates: Summer/Fall 2023
Timeline: 2 months
Client: Journey Energy Inc.
Location: Carson Creek Gas Plant (Blue Ridge / Whitecourt area)

Project Overview

Wayco Environmental was contracted by Journey Energy Inc. to decommission the Carson Creek Gas Plant in the Blue Ridge area near Whitecourt, Alberta. The site was a sour gas processing facility that had been shut in for many years, and the client had limited visibility into the condition in which it had been left.

Given the facility type and unknowns, the project was approached with the assumption it was still sour and still live until proven otherwise.

 

Decommissioning Stats

9
Buildings Demolished


 

384
Scrap Tonnage


 

350
Concrete Tonnage

6000m
Cable Removed


 

2000m
Lease Piping Removed


 

109 m3
Fluid Disposed

Before

During

After

 

The Challenge

  • Unknown site condition after extended shutdown
  • Sour service risk (H₂S potential) requiring conservative assumptions and controls
  • Large, multi-area facility scope including process systems, tanks/vessels, buildings, underground infrastructure, and tie-ins

Wayco’s Approach


Phase 1

Make the Facility Safe (Cleaning, Purging, Opening to Atmosphere)

The first phase focused on removing hydrocarbons and verifying the facility was safe to demolish. 

  • Tracing and reviewing process and piping systems to build a safe purge/cleaning plan
  • Opening vents and drains and monitoring for H₂S (crews used SCBA / breathing air where required)
  • Draining tanks and containments and hauling fluids offsite for disposal
  • Steaming/purging vessels, towers, piping, and equipment (including amine systems, inlet separator areas, and other process equipment)

 

Phase 2

Surface Demolition & Material Processing (Shearing Down the Facility)

With the site prepped, Wayco moved into shearing and demolition activities, executed across roughly three weeks. 

  • Building demolition (boiler building, stabilizer building, compressor building, amine building, shop, and other structures)
  • Shearing and processing of pipe racks, vessels, skids, and associated infrastructure
  • Removing flare stacks and flare piping
  • Preparing pressure vessels for scrap (tag removal, drilling holes, material lists)
  • Coordinating salvage where applicable (e.g., boilers and select equipment removed for purchase/salvage)
  • Loading and hauling multiple loads of prepared steel and tin to recycle

 

Phase 3

Below-Ground Removal, Concrete Break, and Final Tie-Ins

After surface scope was completed, Wayco worked through underground removals, concrete handling, and final disconnects.

  • Locates and sweeps to identify underground facilities
  • Excavation and removal of pilings, buried cable, buried piping, underground tanks, drain tanks, and flare/glycol lines
  • Concrete breakup and separation (breaker/pulverizer used to separate rebar/steel from concrete)
  • TC Energy sales line disconnect support (hydrovac exposure, bell hole work, assist with blind flange install, removal of Journey sales line/backfill and fencing)
  • Cut/cap and abandonment support on connected lines to lease edge (including tagging)
  • Final site cleanup, bin removal, and demobilization