Absorption Plant #1

This is the Absorption Plant at the Turner Valley Gas Plant. The oil absorption process is one way to extract lighter fractions from the complex mix of hydrocarbons in the plant's feed stock. It works by bubbling the feed stock through a special oil inside the towers, which absorbs these fractions like a sponge while the lighter methane and ethane components are released as gas. The "sponge oil" is then sent to a still or regenerator where these fractions are boiled off and captured, and the oil is once again returned to absorb more light fractions. This thing is sure neat to look at. I think it is even more interesting when you know what it did. This photo represents some of the coolest cloud effects I have captured to date. I had hoped the clouds were going to do this but it turned out even better than I expected.

 

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