Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

Environmental Guidelines for

Petroleum Refining
Industry Description and Practices valves, seals, and drains. For each ton of crude
processed, refineries may emit about:
The petroleum industry is organized into four • 0.8 kg (ranging from less than 0.1 to 3 kg)
broad sectors: exploration and production of of particulate matter;
crude oil and natural gas; transportation; • 1.3 kg of SOx (ranging 0.2-6 kg and 0.1 kg
refining; and marketing and distribution. This with Claus sulfur recovery process;
guideline only addresses petroleum refining. • 0.3 kg of NOx (ranging 0.06-0.5 kg); and
Crude oil is fractionated into liquefied • 2.5g of BTX (benzene, toluene, xylene)
petroleum gas, naphtha (used to produce (ranging from 0. 75 to 6) and 1g with Claus
gasoline by blending with octane boosters), sulfur recovery process.
kerosene/aviation turbine fuel, diesel oil, and Of this, about 0.14g of benzene, 0.55 g of
residual fuel oil. Catalytic cracking and toluene, and 1.8 g of xylene may be released per
reforming, thermal cracking, and other ton of crude processed.
secondary processes are used to change the VOC emissions depend upon the production
chemical composition of straight run fractions techniques, emission control techniques,
into salable products such as fractions or cuts equipment maintenance, and climate conditions
for gasoline or diesel fuel blending. Finishing and may be 1 kg per ton (with a range of 0.5 to 6
processes are used to achieve the desired kg/t) of crude processed.
product specifications. Certain refineries also Petroleum refineries use relatively large
produce feedstocks for the manufacture of lube volumes of water especially for cooling systems.
oils and bitumens. Some refineries also Surface water runoff, and sanitary wastewaters
manufacture coke. are also generated. The quantity of wastewaters
generated and its characteristics depend on the
Waste Characteristics process configuration. As a general guide,
approximately 3.5-5 m3 of wastewater per ton of
Boilers, process heaters, and other process crude is generated when cooling water are
equipment are responsible for the emission of recycled. Refineries generate polluted
particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides wastewaters, containing BOD5 and COD levels
(NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and carbon dioxide. of approximately 150-250 mg/L and 300-600
Sulfur recovery units, combustion units and mg/L, phenol levels 20-200 mg/L; oil levels of
flares release SOx. Catalytic cracking 100 to 300 mg/L in desalter water and up to
regenerators release particulates, NOx, and SOx. 5,000 mg/L in tank bottoms; benzene levels of 1
Catalyst changeovers and cokers release to 100 mg/L, benzo(a)pyrene level of less than 1
particulates. Volatile organic compounds to 100 mg/L, heavy metals (chrome and lead
(VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, and xylene levels of 0.1-100 and 0.2-10 mg/L respectively),
are released from storage, product loading and and other pollutants. The refineries also
handling facilities, oil/water separation generate solid wastes and sludges (with a range
systems, and as fugitive emissions from flanges, of 3-5 kg per ton of crude processed), 80% of

469
Petroleum Refining 470

which may be considered hazardous because of Recycling/Reuse

the presence of toxic organics and heavy metals.
Accidental discharges of large quantities of • Recycle cooling water and where cost-
pollutants can occur as a result of abnormal effective, treated wastewater.
operation in a refinery and potentially pose a major • Maximize recovery of oil from oily
local environmental hazard. wastewaters and sludges. Minimize losses of oil
to the effluent system.
Pollution Prevention and Control • Recover and reuse phenols, caustics and
solvents from their spent solutions.
Petroleum refineries are complex plants, where • Return oily sludges to coking units or
the combination and sequence of processes is crude distillation units.
usually very specific to the characteristics of the
raw materials (crude oil) and the products. Operating Procedures
Specific pollution prevention or source
reduction measures can often only be • Segregate oily wastewaters from
determined by the technical staff. However, stormwater systems.
there are a number of broad areas where • Reduce oil losses during tank drainage
improvements are often possible and site used to remove water before product dispatch.
specific waste reduction measures in these areas • Optimize tank and equipment cleaning
should be designed into the plant and targeted frequency to avoid accumulating residue at the
by management of operating plants. Areas bottom of the tanks.
where effort should be concentrated include: • Prevent solids and oily wastes from
entering the drainage system.
Reduction of Air Emissions • Institute dry sweeping instead of
washdown to reduce wastewater volumes.
• Minimize losses from storage tanks and • Establish and maintain an Emergency
product transfer areas by methods such as Preparedness and Response Plan and carry out
vapor recovery systems and double seals. frequent training.
• Minimize sulfur oxide emissions by either • Practice corrosion monitoring, prevention
desulfurization of fuels (to the extent feasible) and control in underground piping and tank
or directing the use of high sulfur fuels to units bottoms.
equipped with sulfur oxide emission controls. • Establish leak detection and repair
• Recover sulfur from tail gases in high program.
efficiency sulfur recovery units.
• Recover nonsilica based (i.e., metallic) Target Pollution Loads
catalysts and reduce particulate emissions.
• Use low NOx burners to reduce NOx Implementation of pollution prevention
emissions. measures can provide both economic and
• Avoid and limit fugitive emissions by environmental benefits. However, a balance on
proper process design and maintenance. energy usage and environmental impacts may
• Maintain fuel usage to a minimum. have to be arrived at. The following production-
related targets can be achieved by measures
Elimination/Reduction of Pollutants such as those detailed in the previous section.
The values relate to the production processes
• Consider reformate and other octane before the addition of pollution control
boosters instead of tetraethyl lead and other measures.
organic lead compounds for octane boosting. New refineries should be designed to
• Use non-chrome based inhibitors in maximize energy conservation, and reduce
cooling water, where inhibitors are needed. hydrocarbon losses. A good practice target for
• Use long life catalysts and regenerate to simple refineries (i.e. refineries with distillation,
extend the catalysts’ life cycle. catalytic reforming, hydrotreating, and off-site
facilities) is that the total quantity of oil
471 Petroleum Refining

consumed as fuel and lost in production cracking units should be provided with
operations should not exceed 3.5% of the particulate removal devices. Steam injection in
throughput. For refineries with secondary flaring stacks can reduce particulate matter
conversion units (i.e. hydrocrackers, lube oil emissions.
units), the target should be 5 to 6% (and in some
cases, up to 10%) of the throughput. Fugitive Liquid Effluents
VOC emissions from the process units can be
reduced to 0.05% of the throughput with total Refinery wastewaters often require a
VOC emissions of less than 1 kg/ton of crude combination of treatment methods to remove
(or 0.1% of throughput). Methods of estimating oil and other contaminants before discharge.
these figures include emissions monitoring, Separation of different streams (such as
mass balance, and inventories of emissions stormwater, cooling water, process water,
sources. Design assumptions should be sanitary, sewage, etc.) is essential to minimize
recorded to allow for subsequent computation treatment requirements. A typical system may
and reduction of losses. include sour water stripper, gravity oil/water
Vapor recovery systems to control losses of separation, dissolved air flotation, biological
VOCs from storage tanks and loading areas treatment and clarification. A final polishing
should achieve 90 to 100% recovery. step using filtration, activated carbon, or
Plant operators should aim at using fuel chemical treatment may also be required.
with less than 0.5% sulfur (or an emission level Achievable pollutant loads include: BOD5 of 6g,
corresponding to 0.5% sulfur in fuel). High COD of 50g, suspended solids of 10g, and oil
sulfur fuels should be directed to units and grease of 2g, all per ton of crude processed.
equipped with sulfur oxide controls. Fuel
blending is another option. A sulfur recovery Solid and Hazardous Wastes
system with at least 97 percent but preferably
over 99% sulfur recovery should be used when Sludge treatment is usually performed using
the hydrogen sulfide concentration in tail gases land application (bioremediation), or solvent
exceeds 230 mg/Nm3. The total release of sulfur extraction followed by combustion of the
dioxide should be below 0.5 kg per ton for a residue or used in asphalt, where feasible. In
hydroskimming refinery and below 1 kg per ton some cases, the residue may require
for a conversion refinery. stabilization prior to disposal to reduce the
A wastewater generation rate 0.4 m3/t of leachability of toxic metals.
crude processed is achievable with good design Oil is recovered from slops using separation
and operation and new refineries should techniques such as gravity separators and
achieve this target as a minimum. centrifuges.
The generation rate of solid wastes and
sludges should be less than 0.5% of the crude Emission Guidelines
processed and should aim for 0.3%.
Emission levels for the design and operation of
Treatment Technologies each project must be established through the
Environmental Assessment (EA) process, based
Air Emissions on country legislation and the Pollution
Prevention and Abatement Handbook as applied to
Control of air emissions normally includes the local conditions. The emission levels selected
capturing and recycling or combustion of must be justified in the EA and acceptable to
emissions from vents, product transfer points, MIGA.
storage tanks, and other handling equipment. The following guidelines present emission
Boilers, heaters, other combustion devices, levels normally acceptable to the World Bank
cokers, and catalytic units may require Group in making decisions regarding provision
particulate matter controls. Carbon monoxide of World Bank Group assistance, including
boiler is normally a standard practice in MIGA guarantees; any deviations from these
fluidized catalytic cracking units. Catalytic
Petroleum Refining 472

levels must be described in the project Effluents from Petroleum Industry

documentation. Parameter Maximum value
The guidelines are expressed as milligrams per liter
concentrations to facilitate monitoring. Dilution (mg/L)
of air emissions or effluents to achieve these pH 6-9
guidelines is unacceptable. BOD5 30
All of the maximum levels should be
COD 150
achieved for at least 95% of the time that the
plant or unit is operating, to be calculated as a Total suspended solids 30
proportion of annual operating hours. Oil and grease 10
Chromium (hexavalent) 0.1
Air Emissions Chromium (total)2 0.5
Lead 0.1
The following emissions levels should be Phenol 0.5
achieved: Benzene 0.05
Benzo(a)pyrene 0.05
Emissions from the Petroleum Industry Sulfide 1
Parameter Maximum value Nitrogen(total) 10
milligrams per Temperature increase less than or equal
normal cubic meter to 3°C2
(mg/Nm3) 1 The
maximum effluent concentration of nitrogen (total)
Particulate matter (PM) 50 may be up to 40 mg/L in processes that include
Nitrogen oxide (NOx)* 460 hydrogenation.
2 The effluent should result in a temperature increase of no
Sulfur oxide (SOx) 150 for sulfur
more than 3 degrees Celsius at the edge of the zone where
recovery units and
initial mixing and dilution takes place. Where the zone is not
500 for other units.
defined, use 100 meters from the point of discharge provided
Nickel and Vanadium 2
there are no sensitive ecosystems within this range.
(combined)
Hydrogen sulfide 15
Note: Effluent requirements are for direct discharge
*excluding NOX emissions from catalytic units. to surface waters. Discharge to an offsite wastewater
treatment plant should meet applicable pretreatment
Liquid Effluents requirements.

The following effluent levels should be achieved. Solid Wastes and Sludges

Wherever possible, generation of sludges

should be minimized to 0.3 kg/ton of crude
processed with a maximum of 0.5 kg/ton of
crude processed. Sludges must be treated and
stabilized to reduce concentrations of toxics
(such as benzene and lead) in leachate to
acceptable levels (such as levels below 0.05
mg/kg).
473 Petroleum Refining

Ambient Noise parties, as required, and provided to MIGA if

rquested.
Noise abatement measures should achieve
either the following levels or a maximum Key Issues
increase in background levels of 3 dB(A).
Measurements are to be taken at noise receptors The following box summarizes the key
located outside the project property boundary. production and control practices that will lead
to compliance with emissions guidelines:

Ambient Noise • Use vapor recovery systems to reduce VOC

emissions.
Receptor Maximum
• Install sulfur recovery systems, where
dB(A) feasible.
Residential; institutional; Ldn 55 • Use low NOx .burners.
educational
• Maintain fuel and losses to 3.5% for simple
Industrial; commercial Leq (24) 70 refineries and below 6% (with 10% as
maximum) for refineries with secondary
processing.
The emission requirements given here can be
consistently achieved by well-designed, well- • Recover and recycle oily wastes.
operated and well-maintained pollution control
• Regenerate and reuse spent catalysts and
systems.
solvents.
Monitoring and Reporting • Recycle cooling water and minimize
wastewaters.
Frequent sampling may be required during
• Segregate storm water from process
start-up and upset conditions. Once a record of
wastewater.
consistent performance has been established,
sampling for the parameters listed above • Use non-chrome based inhibitors (use only
should be as detailed below. to the extent needed in cooling water).
Air emissions from stacks should be
• Minimize the generation of sludges.
monitored once every shift if not continuously
for opacity (a maximum level of 10%). Air • Install spill prevention and control
emissions of hydrogen sulfide from a sulfur measures.
recovery unit should be monitored on a
continuous basis. Annual emissions monitoring Further Information
of combustion sources should be carried out for
SOx (sulfur content of the fuel with monitored The following are suggested as sources of
on a supply tank basis) and NOx . additional information (these sources are
Liquid effluents should be monitored daily provided for guidance and are not intended to
for all the parameters cited above except for be comprehensive):
metals which should be monitored on at least a
monthly basis. Bounicore and Davis. 1992. Air Pollution
Monitoring data should be analyzed and Engineering Manual. New York: Van Nostrand
reviewed at regular intervals and compared Reinhold Publications.
with the operating standards so that any
necessary corrective actions can be taken. Commission of the European Communities, DG
Records of monitoring results should be kept in XI A3. 1991. Technical Note on the Best
an acceptable format. These should be reported Available Technologies to Reduce Emissions of
to the responsible authorities and relevant Pollutants into the Air from the Refining
Industry.
Petroleum Refining 474

Commission of the European Communities, DG Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards

XI A3. 1993. Techno-economic study on the for the Petroleum Refining Point Source
reduction measures, based on best available Category.
technology, of water discharges and waste
generation from refineries. World Bank, Environment Department. 1996.
“Pollution Prevention and Abatement:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Petroleum Refining.” Technical Background
(USEPA). 1982. Development Document for Document.