Case Studies
A Better Future with Chemistry Done Better.
Lubricant buildup on semi-autogenous (SAG) / ball mill open gear was masking tooth condition and threatening to extend a planned shutdown window at a Canadian gold mine. Using Traxol EP3, the team degreased the gear without preheating or hand-wiping delivering an inspection-ready finish in ~3 hours per gear.
A low-pressure heating boiler at a Saskatchewan high school was losing most condensate to drain, driving high makeup water, energy use, and treatment costs. Guardian worked with facility staff to prioritize condensate reuse and limit soft-water makeup. Return stabilized at 90% and boiler treatment chemical demand fell 56%.
A large North American energy producer relied on Guardian to run its remote chemical program—managing tank levels, coordinating top-ups, and adjusting pump rates as conditions changed. When pump or control issues occurred, Guardian restored dosing within hours to maintain treatment continuity and avoid interruptions.
A midstream oil gathering system feeding a refinery faced wax–asphaltene deposits from variable crudes and intermittent flow. After implementing Guardian’s Flowsol-based flow assurance program, pigging intervals were extended, flow disruptions avoided, and pig-trap waste reduced by 70% in the first six months.
A Western Canada fleet maintenance operation was using a wash bay soap that could not consistently clean equipment and vehicles. By switching to NuTech Grand Slam at one-quarter the concentration, the customer improved cleaning performance and reduced annual soap spend by 56%.
An industrial cleaning & oilfield services company relied on an all-in-one cleaner for degreasing, vehicle washing, and LEL vapour control. Performance was acceptable, but chemical use and annual costs were high. A fit-for-purpose program maintained cleaning while significantly reducing product volume and overall spend.
A 1.5M+ sq. ft. downtown Calgary office and retail complex required uninterrupted cooling and closed-loop water treatment from construction through long-term operation. Guardian designed and continues to manage a site-specific program controlling microbiological risk and corrosion for 15+ years.
An urban retail-and-office complex in Edmonton needed reliable corrosion protection for an open cooling tower and closed chilled loop with mixed metallurgy. Guardian applied Aquaguard 508 and 810 and validated performance with long-term coupons. Result: excellent steel and copper rates over 491 days.
Biofilms were blocking biocide performance in a PVC plant’s process-water system, increasing biological risk and under-deposit corrosion potential. Aquaguard 625, a biodispersant, was dosed, to restore biological control. Monitoring confirmed biofilm dispersal and increased biocide effectiveness, without shutdowns or disruption.
A commercial greenhouse operating a 4,000,000-litre closed-loop heating system required long-term corrosion protection for this critical asset. Guardian Chemicals implemented a filming amine treatment program that delivered stable system chemistry, excellent corrosion rates, and clean internals over 4+ years of operation.
A large commercial facility operated a closed-loop heating system without biological monitoring and incomplete corrosion testing. Guardian identified active bacterial contamination and uncontrolled iron transport, and defined corrective actions to prevent fouling, heat transfer loss, and premature equipment failure.
A commercial facility experienced unstable cooling tower chemistry and excessive water loss caused by uncontrolled blowdown. Guardian identified a control configuration failure that bypassed effective feedback, defined corrective actions, and restored predictable water and treatment control.
An environmental services contractor’s 100 HP mobile boiler scaled repeatedly when the existing softener allowed hardness breakthrough. Guardian engineered and commissioned a twin-tank softener sized for high hardness and variable flow. The result, consistent softening, reduced scale risk, and no more acid cleaning.
In a SAGD produced water cooling system, Guardian’s BrightShield process helped streamline cleaning, improve safety, and cut chemical use by 50%. After optimizing the program from three products to two, total cleaning costs dropped by an additional 13.4%, with reduced inventory, simpler application, and lower on-site exposure.
A pair of severely restricted heat exchangers at an oil sands facility threatened thermal balance and water treatment stability. Guardian Chemicals Brightshield Process, restored flow up to 5X faster without mechanical lancing. The exchangers were back online in under 24 hours with reduced labour and lower risk of process upset.
After facing shipment delays with a previous supplier, this SAGD facility turned to Guardian Chemicals for their Produced Water Cooler (PWC) cleaning program. Over eight years, and counting—including the pandemic, the 2021–2023 supply chain crisis, wildfires, and global tariff disruptions—they’ve experienced uninterrupted, reliable chemical supply.
This transportation company needed a more effective method to remove hardened powdered cement from trucks after loading. The cement presented a safety hazard as it could be dislodged during transport. By switching to React 215 and using a foamer, the deposits were quickly removed and hazard eliminated.
A Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) Manufacturing facility sought to improve press efficiency while maintaining product quality. By trialing Canguard Mat Spray at varying application rates, they achieved faster heating, improved surface quality, and increased production speed.
A hydraulics equipment supplier was working with a customer to remove scale from several coolers. Power washing proved ineffective so they reached out to Guardian Chemicals. At our recommendation, the client used Aquaguard 915 to descale these units, resulting in a more effective and efficient process.
A failing chemical feed system at this government building was plagued with corrosion, leaks, and inefficiencies. With Guardian Chemicals’ support, they transformed the system into a streamlined, efficient operation that ensures proper chemical treatment for their cooling towers and eliminates corrosion issues.
A CSS bitumen production facility in Cold Lake faced a severely fouled, “uncleanable” heat exchanger. Using Guardian’s BrightShield™ Process, including a tailored chemistry program, their team restored flow, eliminated fouling, and returned the system to optimal performance without disruption.
When an equipment supplier failed to assist with preoperational challenges at an Alberta CoGen facility, the facility owner turned to Guardian, their long-time chemical supplier, for help. Guardian resolved equipment challenges and ensured proper system functionality and chemical feed for boiler operation.
The new heating and chilled loop systems in this 60-storey tower in Calgary were cleaned and protected with closed loop water treatment products, Aquaguard FC3 and 810. Compared to conventional cleaning and treatment, Guardian Chemicals process reduced water use, improved system cleanliness, and prevented corrosion during the pre-operational period.
Guardian Chemicals led the cleaning industry by proactively transitioning their product line to meet Canada’s new VOC regulations. VOC levels were reduced well below legislated limits; flashpoints increased to reduce flammability; product performance boosted; setting new industry standards for safety and efficacy.
This oil field water disposal facility in West Texas re-started after being abandoned for over 35 years. Hardened, oil sludge in the tanks and poor disposal well performance limited use. Hotsoss treatment restored well performance and recovered saleable oil from the sludge, exceeding customer expectations.
An 11-year old well in North Dakota suffered a significant decline in production due to paraffin buildup. This well struggled to operate, barely producing more than a single bbl/day. After a single HotSoss well treatment, production jumped to an average of 28 bbl/day and 13.5 MCF of natural gas.
TerraSol ULV, a low VOC multi-purpose solvent degreaser was introduced to a large Fort McMurray oil sands wash bay. TerraSol ULV effectively cleaned coke and oil sands fouled heavy haul trucks while reducing VOC emissions by 99.9%, eliminating noxious degreaser odours, and protecting worker health.
A large oriented strand board (OSB) mill in Canada was converting to 100% pMDI resin. To prevent sticking and optimize production, a new release agent was required. Pressguard X210 was introduced and tested. The end result—consistent clean release, no panel sticking, and no press corrosion.
A hydrocarbon processing facility needed to clean a storage tank containing sludge, hydrocarbons, and hazardous gases. Using the BrightShield process, Guardian designed a custom chemical cleaning program that eliminated sludge, reduced toxic vapours, and enabled safe, compliant disposal.
A healthcare facility improved its cooling tower efficiency by upgrading to a fully automated control system. This change resulted in an annual cost savings of $8000. The change improved water treatment efficiency, reduced chemical consumption, and improved biological control.
A large Western Canadian asphalt emulsion supplier struggled to keep their transportation fleet clean, especially in cooler seasons. Their current solution was effective but underperformed in colder temperatures. TerraSol was compared to the competition, yielding superior asphalt removal and reduced cleaning costs.
A semi-truck and trailer wash bay faced challenges with high pH degreasers causing permanent damage to aluminum fuel tanks and chrome surfaces. SafeGuard AL replaced the previous cleaning agent and effectively cleaned all surfaces including aluminum and chrome without damage.
This oilfield service company wanted to find a replacement for a toxic degreaser. The strong odour was causing air quality issues and affecting staff working in the wash bay. Breakaway VF was selected as a replacement. It improved cleaning, reduced chemical usage, and reduced chemical costs.
An oil sands facility needed a safer way to clean ORF walnut shell media and after media filters to avoid caustic-related damage. Through the BrightShield Process, a custom chemical solution that improved performance without pH risk, mechanical intervention, or disposal issues.
A major oil sands operation in Fort McMurray wanted to reduce costs and improve sustainability across their operation. Guardian Chemicals introduced Terrasol ULV for use in their wash bay. Testing proved replacing the competitors’ product resulted in reduced chemical consumption and cost.
A six-month-old heating system in this newly renovated school suffered from high corrosion rates. Despite high iron and low system pH, the competitor failed to correct treatment issues. Aquaguard 810 was added to the system to remove existing corrosion and protect from future corrosion issues.
Poor water quality and lack of treatment in this process water boiler system meant regular shutdowns and cleaning were required. Aquaguard 810 and process improvements were introduced. The result: clean water, reduced maintenance cost, corrosion protection and no more costly shutdowns and cleaning.
A carwash business needed to reduce costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Guardian Chemicals replaced their existing two-product chemical solution with a single, more efficient product. The result: lower cost per wash, reduced chemical consumption, and a high-quality cleaning performance.
A concrete site using a direct injection steam generator faced issues with high deposit formation, corrosion, and frequent pipe replacements. Guardian Chemicals introduced Aquaguard 841 treatment, which improved the system’s performance and extended the service life of the pipes.
A release agent suitable for land application was required to stop waste pulp sludge from freezing to haul truck boxes. The current product, Calcium Chloride, was not effective, causing extra labor costs and cold exposure. Glide W RTU was developed and applied to the haul truck boxes to prevent sticking.
A touchless carwash was determined to reduce chemical costs and improve vehicle cleaning. Like many touchless washes, they struggled to remove residual road film and the dreaded windshield eyebrow. By implementing NuTech Home Run, they lowered their cost per wash and enhanced cleaning performance.
Poor water treatment led to high chemical consumption rates, high corrosion rates, and high maintenance costs for this government facility. Guardian Chemicals assessed the system and implemented our Aquaguard 810 treatment. Within 12 weeks, the water was clear, iron levels reduced and corrosion eliminated.
Hotsoss treatments are a cost-effective and efficient solution for maintaining oil wells. Compared to conventional treatments (hot oiling, xylene) HotSoss increases the production rates and longevity, reduces maintenance costs, and improves overall well performance.
A customer in Saskatchewan experienced a significant drop in oil production rates and well revenues. HotSoss well stimulation program was applied and quickly restored production with results lasting over 4 months.
