Zero-Waste Strategies for Oily Sludge
Project Summary: The purpose of this study is to identify sustainable methods and technologies for management of oily sludges produced at petroleum facilities. A typical 150,000 barrel/day refinery produces on the order of 2,000 tons/year of oily sludge waste from API separators and crude oil tank bottoms with higher amounts of wastes produced due to one time maintenance events at certain intervals. Available
methods and technologies for waste minimization at the source, recycling, recovery, reuse, treatment, waste-to-energy conversion, and disposal of wastes are assessed using a pollution prevention opportunity assessment (P2OA) approach. Technologies that make use of the waste materials as a resource to recover energy and/or other useful products from the waste materials, leaving residuals that are environmentally benign are assigned high priority. Methods and technologies that are in various levels of development ranging from ideas and experimental procedures to turn key systems are included in the technology assessment protocol.
Principal Investigator: Yarrow Nelson, Jim Hanson, and Nazli Yesiller
Funding Agency: Chevron
