COSIA taps into global innovation community to help solve complex challenges in oil sands
When it comes to solving complex challenges like the ones faced in the oil sands, you have to think outside the box – and sometimes outside the country. As the innovation arm of Pathways Alliance, COSIA works with oil sands companies to identify technical hurdles. We then deploy engagement strategies to tap into the global innovation community for solutions.
While conventional methods like advertising in trade journals have their place, intricate challenges demand more specialized approaches. This is where our innovators shine. The Pathways technical teams partner with specialist organizations whose core expertise lies in scanning and identifying cutting-edge technologies from around the world.
Recently, the team who leads our water environmental priority area sought to procure anti-fouling technologies for water boilers. Boiler fouling, akin to cholesterol in an industrial facility, happens when build-up collects on the inside of steam generators. This build-up reduces efficiency of the boilers which can, in turn, increase emissions.
To help address this challenge, COSIA partnered with TechScout, a Paris-based firm that specializes in sourcing cutting-edge industrial technologies. The team at TechScout was made up of 12 highly technical experts and a project leader with a PhD in industrial water chemistry. Together, they embarked on a 16-week journey, meticulously clarifying our requirements before searching for potential solutions.
Throughout the process, TechScout solicited interim feedback from COSIA on potential technologies, ensuring alignment with industry needs. Ultimately, they identified promising solutions in mechanical, chemical, and coatings categories from an initial pool of 40 technologies. COSIA then narrowed down the selection to eight technology providers, each with new ideas and concepts for our water technology teams to explore.
Pathways member companies are now actively engaging with these eight technology providers, exploring avenues to assess and test these innovations within an oil sands facility.
“As we navigate the complexities of the oil sands industry, it’s evident that our collaboration with TechScout represents more than just a solution to a singular challenge,” says Peter Beaudoin, Senior Advisor, External Innovation for COSIA. “It’s a testament to the potential of global innovation in driving meaningful change.”
While this is the most recent example of COSIA leveraging innovators from across the globe, it’s not the first. In 2017, we funded a $20 million prize for carbon conversion technology through the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE. Open to innovators world-wide, the ten finalists in the running for the prize hail from five different countries, each with a unique idea for the next carbon capture technology
This recent endeavor with TechScout is just one example of our ongoing commitment to seeking out cutting-edge solutions.
