Water efficiency solutions for the oil refinery industry

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Water Treatment Technologies

Background:

• Oil refineries generate significant wastewater volumes, posing environmental challenges.
• Wastewater reuse is crucial for sustainable water management in water-intensive industries.
• Closing the water loop in refineries minimizes freshwater intake and effluent discharge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and assess fit-for-purpose technologies for oil refinery wastewater (ORW) treatment.
• To simulate and compare the performance of five treatment scenarios in a real industrial setting.
• To evaluate the potential for closing the water loop through wastewater reuse.

Main Methods:

• Development of a four-phase methodology for technology identification.
• Process modeling, simulation, and life cycle assessment (LCA) were employed.
• Comparison of scenarios including existing conventional treatment and advanced pilot-scale units (aerobic granular sludge, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis).

Main Results:

• Scenario 5, utilizing only pilot-scale ORW treatment, demonstrated superior efficiency and sustainability.
• The advanced pilot-scale approach effectively enabled the reuse of treated water.
• Six key performance indicators were used for comprehensive scenario evaluation.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of advanced pilot-scale treatment (Scenario 5) is the most effective strategy for closing the water loop in oil refineries.
• Reclaimed water can be successfully reused for cooling, firefighting, or subsequent biological treatment.
• This approach significantly enhances water sustainability and environmental protection in the oil refinery industry.