Managing Water Treatment Risks in Refining

Against the backdrop of global water scarcity, the industrial sector is the fastest growing source of water consumption. If current trends persist, by 2030, industrial water use will rise by 65 percent. Petroleum refiners and plants rank among the top industrial water users, consuming huge volumes of fresh water for cooling, steam generation and process needs.

Few would argue against the industry’s need to reduce water and energy consumption, but accomplishing it is a challenge. Refiners are operating in an environment with wide variability in converting feedstock into high-quality products and where profitability hinges on keeping key process units running, controlling operating costs, and effectively meeting regulatory requirements. They are under pressure to expand their operating envelope, while addressing growing environmental concerns.

In this presentation, water treatment technologies, commercially available and under development, will be explored that facilitate the responsible and economical use of water in an increasingly demanding future. This presentation will highlight:

• Crude blend and desalter management while utilizing opportunity, or discounted, crudes in refining.
• Managing wastewater plant variation and risks associated with processing these crudes.
• Use of alternative influent waters to minimize fresh water consumption.