Feasibility Study for QIO’s 16 MTPA Expansion of Bloom Lake

QIO (Champion) appointed SYSTRA Canada to conduct a feasibility study to identify the infrastructure and operational changes required to double the capacity of the 457-km Bloom Lake to Pointe-Noire (Sept-Îles terminal) railway in Quebec, Canada. The goal was to reach a target of 16 MTPA in a multi-operator and multi-user context.

During a previous phase, SYSTRA Canada’s study had included the following key components:

• Rail line capacity assessment (operation simulations);
• Identification and conceptual design of the required infrastructure packages;
• Operational Assessment Report;
• Implementation Strategy Report;
• CAPEX/OPEX estimate for all considered options;
• Cost/benefit analysis.

During the feasibility phase, SYSTRA Canada reached a level of project definition compliant with a Class 3 estimate (preliminary engineering) in a very challenging timeframe.