Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) has secured an initial US$10 million contract, as part of a larger ~$40 million award, to provide low-pressure wet gas scrubbing (WGS) technology for a major petroleum refinery in Canada. The WGS system will help the refinery reduce sulfur oxides and other gas emissions from regenerator and flue gas streams, aligning operations with stricter air quality standards.

This deal builds on B&W’s licensing agreement with ExxonMobil, reflecting robust demand for advanced gas treatment solutions in refining. The scrubbing equipment will be optimized to handle variable gas flows and composition changes without significant degradation in performance. With the project now moving toward detailed engineering and procurement, its execution could set a benchmark for future gas cleanup retrofits across North America.

As regulatory pressure mounts globally—especially in jurisdictions enforcing stringent emissions norms—wet gas scrubbing is becoming a critical technology in a refiner’s toolkit. It enables compliance without complete overhaul of core process units. For refiners balancing output, operational continuity, and environmental obligations, this is a timely win.