(86a) Refinery Water Footprint: Can You Afford the New Shoes?

American Petroleum Refineries continue to consolidate while they expand capacity at existing remaining sites. Crude slates are changing. Additionally, wastewater treatment systems are nearing the end of their design life. These factors create an opportunity to consider the costs and benefits of upgraded wastewater treatment plants, optimized in-plant cooling systems, and the overall water footprint of the refinery itself.

This paper creates a hypothetical average US refinery and explores the following issues using real world cost data:

?Blowdown reduction and control costs versus the cost of makeup water. ?Blowdown volume reduction versus the operating and capital cost implications for the end of pipe wastewater treatment system. ?The effect of flow optimization on effluent quality, particularly WET testing. ?The cost and justification for the use of advanced water treatment technology to reduce TDS.

This analysis will include the capital and operating costs for upgraded or replacement wastewater treatment plant technology with costs apportioned between flow, organic loading, and nitrogen loading. The effect of cycles of concentration on flow rates and overall costs will be modeled. The paradoxical effect of flow reduction on WET testing results (higher TDS) will be explored. The paper will develop some economic rules of thumb for refinery personnel to use.