Making positive environmental changes.

Submersible Consulting and Engineering (SUBCOE), an original equipment Sudbury-based company with offices in Edmonton and Bulgaria, has been known for manufacturing switchgear and process automation systems for electric submersible pumps, but they also specialize in electrical engineering.

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In fact, they conduct industrial studies using ETAP, which is a power-modelling software that enables them to do power system designs and studies, as well as harmonic analysis and relay coordination.

"It gives us the ability to model their complete power system," explains SUBCOE's general manager Brian Burton. "Basically, it enables us to revue the power being used and to see if there are some cost-effective solutions to reduce the power consumption and the relative costs associated."

Currently, they're conducting a power study for Chevron, one of the largest integrated energy companies in the world, in Kazakhstan, which is the largest country of Central Asia. The company, which is headquartered in San Ramon, California and does business in approximately 180 countries, is involved in every aspect of the oil and natural gas industry, including exploration and production; refining, marketing and transportation; chemicals manufacturing and sales; as well as geothermal and power generation.

SUBCOE has seven engineers working on the on-going project. They're are also working on a complete power modeling study of the Suncor facility in Fort McMurray, Alberta, which extracts and upgrades oil sands into high-quality refinery-ready crude oil products and diesel fuel. Suncor has grown to become a major North American energy producer and marketer with a team of more than 5,500 employees.

"The first part of the project for Suncor was to model the existing system," explains Burton. "Then, we'll build a model for their upgrades and expansions."

Of course, the environment still remains a priority for SUBCOE as the studies aim for optimum efficiency, safety, and avoidance of unnecessary damage.

"The environment is one of the biggest hurdles that we all need to address and we know that some of the services that we offer, especially on the power engineering side, will have a definite impact on the environment," Burton said. "If you can tweak your power supply to be more efficient, then that's got a positive effect on us all overall."

Of course, they still haven't lost sight of their pumping applications in mine dewatering as they recently signed on as a Northern Ontario distributor for pump manufacturer ABS. Plus, they have the distribution rights in Eastern Canada for Weatherford International's horizontal pumping systems (HPS).

"The Weatherford HPS has the ability to move the fluid to surface in one lift," he proclaims. "When you add in a variable speed drive, it increases the pumping range available from the same system. So in peak times, like spring runoff, you have the ability to increase the flow rates, and to efficiently lower the rates when the demand is not there."

The company also has its own wireless motor controller, which provides full protection, monitoring, and trending capabilities.

Ultimately, Burton indicates that the company has had an international focus, especially in Northern Africa and the Middle East, where he spent 20 years providing pumping solution for oil wells.

"There's a direct correlation between the oil sector and the mining sectors," he concludes. "It's all mining of some sort, and we're trying to cross-feed some of that oil field technology into the mining industry. My long term goals are to continue to grow our business and bring value to the domestic energy and mining sectors in Canada."

By Gianni Ubriaco

For Northern Ontario Business