ABOUT


It is the primary objective of Cancen Oil Processors to operate its facilities in a professional manner, with the highest regard to safety, environmental impact and regulatory guidelines.

Doing the dirty work


Oil Waste facilities have the tough job of processing off-spec oil and waste. In Alberta’s current economy, oil industry is huge, and keeping it clean is a big job. Cancen Oil Processors is helping to keep oil waste disposal procedures above regulatory expectations. Cancen certainly has a great deal to offer, with significant capabilities. Cancen and its staff have over 20 years of experience in oil waste processing, and they fully conform to ERCB regulations. James Primrose is an industry leader in processing waste oil and brings his 20 years of industry experience, to Cancen. Cancen is striving to create a value for used oil through its three-stage process, including on-site safe disposal of used water. Cancen uses a specialized process to clean this oil, which enhances the value in the market place. “Oil is expensive right now, and businesses want to hold on to what they have,” says Monty Donaldson, one of the management team members. This puts pressure on Cancen to purchase off-spec oil, for re-processing to sell. Cancen specializes in general cleanup and disposal of slop oil, tank bottoms, and crude treatment; Cancen is helping to ensure used oil is prevented from entering ecosystems. Also, recovering the value of used oil, by custom treating crude and custom blending into high quality, saleable oil. Cancen utilizes technology that has been proven across North America, to be effective in the highest range of oil/water/solids combinations in conventional and heavy oils. The three-stage process ensures the material delivered to site will be handled, categorized and processed in the best possible manner. The custodial manner in which Cancen is run reflects on it employees as well. Some oil industry work can be unhealthy, but Cancen strives to keep regulations and dialogue with employees for a safe and healthy work environment.

The ace that Cancen has up their sleeve is the 1-B disposal well. Cancen has full capability and licence to safely dispose of various used water associated with oil. This means that Cancen has low overhead costs and is very flexible in meeting the needs of clients in a cost effective manner. Currently, Cancen is handling approximately 30 clients at a time, but has the capacity for more. Their unique in-house process is safe, environmentally friendly, and efficiently increases throughput, Cancen combines management expertise, low overhead and a unique process to deliver premium product and services to their clientele, while adhering to ERCB regulations and being fully licensed.

Services offered by Cancen include:


  • Slop Oil Disposal
  • Tank Bottom Disposal
  • Vacuum Truck Receiving
  • Clean Oil Shipping (light sweet line)
  • Custom Treating Crude Oil
  • Custom Blending
  • Hot Water Sales
  • Truck Steaming

Class 1B Disposal Well including:


  • Saline Fluids as obtained from oilfield waste processing facilities, oilfield tank washing operations, oil spill containment and recovery, or similar operations.
  • Boiler blowdown water
  • Liquid fraction of drilling mud, but excluding inverts
  • Aqueous liquid fractions of spent sweetening agents - neutralized
  • Liquid fraction of drilling mud, but excluding inverts (in accordance with section 2.3)
  • Aqueous liquid fractions of spent sweetening agents - neutralized (can sweet 200, 300, 300sx, 500 sulphacheck, sulfa-scrub) amine filter backwash (e.g. MEA, DEA, MDEA)
  • Amine filter backwash (e.g. MEA, DEA, MDEA)
  • Sulphur block run-off water neutralized
  • Inorganic salts used in heat exchange medium (e.g. Sodium/potassium nitrates/nitrites), properly solubilised using an existing aqueous waste stream
  • Waste fluids from drilling operations (i.e. used in or origination from the well bore)
  • Spent work over or stimulation fluids (after neutralization and/or processing to recover hydrocarbons)
  • Glycol solutions as obtained from dehydration operations


Cancen is expanding into portable treatment and upgrading to a class 1A disposal well, to offer even more services to their clients. Alberta is an excellent place for oil business, and environmental stewardship is an important trend that oil businesses must follow, now and for the future. For more information visit www.cancenoil.com.