Linde Engineering, a Division of the Linde Group (Munich, Germany: www.linde.com) and Weil Group Resources, LLC (Richmond, Va.; www.weil-group.com) announced today the formal commencement of operations in Mankota, Saskatchewan. This first-of-its-kind helium purification facility uses a hybrid process of membrane and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology and promises to revitalize the Canadian helium-resource industry. Provincial government officials, as well as company and contractor personnel, staged a ribbon-cutting and flag-raising at the facility today to celebrate the formal opening.
Helium tube-trailer deliveries to customers began last month from the Linde designed and engineered plant, owned and operated by Weil Resources Group, which uses a unique process to enrich wellhead gas with a 1–2% helium concentration to high grade, industrial (99.999%) quality product. The project has been recognized by the Saskatchewan government as bringing new life to the helium industry in Saskatchewan, where the element was discovered in the early 1960s, but has been dormant ever since.
During the opening ceremony, Linde Engineering executive vice president Tobias Keller, stated, “Linde is proud and excited to play a role in providing its industrial gas purification expertise and technology to this important project. We appreciate the collaboration with Weil Group as pioneers in this field. It has required new and innovative design and process elements. It is always rewarding to see new concepts come to life with good success.”
Weil CEO, Jeff Vogt, said, “Weil has revitalized a 60 year old industry in Saskatchewan by our commissioning of the first high quality helium purification facility in Canada. The $12-million facility will process 10 million standard cubic feet of feed gas to high quality, purified helium (99.999%) for industrial customers in Canada and the western U.S. We are grateful for our alliance with Linde Engineering and appreciate their quality, technological leadership and reliability in this unique arena. The plant is an impressive result of collaboration between our teams, and we have appreciated the experience. We look to replicate that soon in our neighboring projects.”