Revolutionizing Burner Technology

“The iPhone is an innovation. Similarly, the Absolute Combustion Burner will change the way the world works. We have invented the world’s most environmentally friendly burner solution with the least ecological impact.” – Darsell Karringten

They say that having grandchildren is a life-altering experience, even more profound than having our own children. Perhaps, at such a milestone, we reflect on our mortality, and begin to look at who we are and how we might make a difference in the world. This, coupled with an innate sense of responsibility to the next generation, becomes paramount in our later years.

This was certainly the case for Darsell Karringten, Alberta-born entrepreneur and now, “Granddad.” After many years of success in Canadian business, and whole-heartedly inspired by the birth of his grandson, Darsell searched for answers to some life-altering questions: There’s a big world out there; what part of it am I responsible for? How can I ensure Darien (my grandson) has a world that’s healthy and safe to live in? How can I make a difference?

Troubled by pollution and the environmental damage caused by a world dependent on energy consumption, Darsell was determined to improve the environmental impact of energy processes. Like many great inventors, Darsell awoke one day with the overwhelming desire to put pen to paper, compelled by a vision he’d had the night before. Darsell sketched out what would become the world’s cleanest burner technology. From there, it was a matter of pulling an inspired and hardworking team together, one that shared his drive for a cleaner world, one fuelled by the idea of leaving a legacy for generations to come. Together, they conceptualized a new path to sustainability and engineered their vision to reality— That was four years ago.

Today, the Absolute Combustion International Inc (A.C.I.) team includes the likes of Robindra Mohar, Vice President of Marketing; Koleya Karringten, Director continued on page 24 of Social Media (and Darsell’s daughter); and Brent Garossino, who is the co-driver behind A.C.I.’s research and development department. Darsell can quickly list more than a dozen other people and companies who helped bring A.C.I. to this stage of development.

It is now ready for market, and the oil and gas industry stands to reap multiple benefits from A.C.I.’s Absolute Extreme Burner™ system. The A.C.I. system can be retro-fit into existing technologies, such as separators and treaters, to replace old and inefficient burners with a new realm of innovation that delivers an unparalleled level of consistent and reliable combustion performance.

Darsell beams with enthusiasm as he defines the revolutionary technology. He believes the energy industry will be the greatest benefactors because of its unprecedented efficiency. It offers the lowest emissions, highest heat transfer (in a fire-tube), lot maintenance and minimal flame impingement. To top it all off, this invention has been engineered to block the effects of externa, unpredictable force, such as weather, elevation, barometric pressure and drastic temperature changes.

Then the A.C.I. team takes an active role in ensuring that the technology integrates smoothly into existing systems that utilize burner technology. Amid the arranging of field tests and trials, A.C.I. made it a priority to interview heavy-oil producers interested in sending a clear message of making a strong contribution to a cleaner, greener future. The energy entrepreneur might be asking: How can I get involved? Is this an application for my company that will really make the difference to our bottom line? Will this make a difference regarding our carbon and emissions footprint? The answer is simply —YES.

And for the global investor, the answers are clear: The oil-sands development houses the second-largest oil reserves on the planet, second only to Saudi Arabia. North America will naturally utilize the oil-sands as one of the most powerful drivers of our current fossil-fuel economies. Currently, oil and gas are the two hottest commodities in the world, making the oil sands and the companies who make it “work” promising prospects.

So, what’s this all about?

True innovation is not a modification, a tweak or an add-on; it is an entirely new solution for the needs at hand. Innovation means new thought when a new vantage point infiltrates and changes the way we live our daily lives. Today, the iPhone is an innovation. Similarly, the Absolute Combustion Burner will change the way the world works. Thanks to A.C.I., we have stumbled upon the world’s most environmentally friendly burner solutions with the least ecological impact.

As Darsell says, “The applications for our burner technology are endless. The first practical applications for the Absolute Extreme Burner™ was in a waste-plastic recycling company with results that outperformed all expectations. Other applications currently being researched and developed are— heavy oil production for separators and treaters, asphalt production and kilns for brick and cement, along with separators and treaters.”

Darsell is excited about the future and explains, “Solving the questions of the energy industry and finding unique and customized solutions is a really interesting game for us. But most of all, making a positive impact on the planet and all inhabitants, well, it’s what we live for.”

A.C.I. was founded with humanitarian intentions, fuelled by responsible actions and inspired by ecological sustainability; the A.C.I. burner is a solution to the heavy-oil and waste-management industries.

Like all good ideas that come to the world, they start with a spark of inspiration. Those that actually serve the world and make a difference contribute to our future, creating lasting legacies. So, to those who are inspired, but unsure of their spark, use Darsell as an example. Can you change the world? Absolutely. To see how A.C.I. might conduct field tests with your company, or to read about specific figures and tested results, please review: www.absolutecombustion.com

SAGD Breakthrough in Burner Technology

Since the reservoir concept of Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) was developed at the University of Calgary by Roger Butler in the 1980s, the oil industry has successfully completed many acclaimed projects utilizing the technique.

Piloting reservoir performance and facility designs in the 1980s and 1990s set the stage for commercial plans and expansions. Today, many projects totalling billions of dollars are planned well into the future.

The economics of SAGD projects are successfully based on a controlled-staged expansion of production phases, which lend themselves to the “pay as you go” philosophy, suitable for small as well as large companies. Typically, 25,000 BPD to 50,000 BPD expansion phases are planned with now wellestablished facility designs repeated in the ongoing expansion phases. While this expansion continues, no strikingly new developments have been introduced to the facility designs, which have the ability to significantly move the needle for project economics.

Today, we now have such a breakthrough! It is well known that the major cost of operating a SAGD project is the energy cost of generating the steam. This recurring cost can exceed 50 per cent of the total operating costs of the project and can also pose significant risks if fuel prices should escalate.

“The oil producers and steam generation equipment manufacturers who embrace this combustion efficiency technology will be the future leaders in significantly reducing the energy costs in a SAGD revolution.” – Fred Shaw

Absolute Combustion Technology International (A.C.I.) has now patented, successfully tested and has industry standard approvals in place for a revolutionary combustion system. Adoption of this technology will change the evolution of SAGD technology into a revolution of efficiency.

A dramatic boost in combustion efficiency along with a major reduction of NOx emissions briefly tells the story of this new “Vortex Combustion” technology. Many test results making a comparison of combustion efficiencies of A.C.I.’s technology with all existing industry standards show that an unmistakable breakthrough has occurred. Actual controlled test results are shown in the attached two tables which compare the new technology with all established efficiency and combustion temperature data. A.C.I. technology stands unmistakably above the others.

The leaders in SAGD developments will be the lowest-cost producers. The oil producers and steam-generation equipment manufacturers who embrace this combustion-efficiency technology breakthrough will be the future leaders in significantly reducing the energy costs in a SAGD revolution.