Our environmental commitments to legal compliance and continuous improvement drove positive performance improvements during 2009. Impacts on ambient air are low and emissions performance has been sustained with a positive gain being made in respect of flaring. Benefits from the leak detection and repair and seal replacement programmes are seen in reductions in Volatile Organic Carbon emissions. Waste and effluent performance have also improved.
In line with the city bylaws, SAPREF operates under a Scheduled Trade Permit licence. The annual Scheduled Trade Permit performance report was presented at a public meeting hosted by the eThekwini Health Department on 30 October 2009.
Ambient Air Monitoring
The eThekwini Multi-Point Plan (MPP) ambient air monitoring programme provides credible scientific data on the air quality of the areas neighbouring the refinery.
SAPREF consistently operates well within the requirements set by the city. During 2009 SAPREF contributed to only one exceedance of the WHO 10 minute mean of 191 ppb for sulphur dioxide. This event was related to an external power dip. No exceedances of the city’s ambient sulphur dioxide 24 hour standard nor the annual standard were attributed to SAPREF.
Flaring
In 2009 SAPREF embarked on a flare performance improvement campaign. The aim was to significantly reduce flaring which, in 2008, averaged 39 tonnes per day. The annual average for 2009 was 28 tonnes per day, a 28% reduction.
Flares are primarily a safety device, however it is important from an environmental and economic perspective to manage flaring. Flaring can be planned during start up or shut down of the refinery, or unplanned when related to operational activities or external events where automatic shutdowns are initiated.
The July, August and September averages illustrate the performance during the Turnaround when SAPREF phased shutdowns and start-ups to keep flare events within the average operational range. The north flare was inspected and refurbished during the Turnaround.
Effective flare reduction resulted in SAPREF achieving less than 10 tons per day for November and December.
Priority Pollutants
Continued focus on emissions management at the refinery has contributed towards preventing ambient exceedences. SAPREF monitors its emissions of the priority pollutants sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM10).
The Multi-Point Plan (MPP) has assisted SAPREF in managing reduction of emissions by ensuring that investment is directed at areas which will contribute to air quality improvement. Online MPP ambient air quality data is provided by the HAWK and ENVIEW systems as part of the operations information system located in the SAPREF control room.
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
SAPREF, in line with the MPP sulphur dioxide priority, has driven a 70% reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions through the installation of best practice sulphur recovery technology.
The result of 12 tonnes per day annual average SO2 achieved for 2009 is well below the 20 tonnes per day permit level. However, the 2009 average is favourably impacted by the two month Turnaround period.
Particulate Matter (PM10)
SAPREF has achieved a 86% reduction in PM emissions through utilising cleaner burning fuels, capital investment and operational improvements. SAPREF consistently performs below a particulate matter annual average of one tonne per day.
Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)
SAPREF consistently maintains nitrogen oxide emissions below an average 4 tonnes a day per annum. This is managed through the use of cleaner fuels, and proactive fuel and flare reduction programmes.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
In 2005 SAPREF initiated a three year project with SNC Lavalin (Canada) to identify and quantify sources of fugitive VOC emissions within the refinery. Once sources are identified a repair phase follows. Repairs commenced in 2008 with priority items being repaired during the 2009 Turnaround. Other repairs are being progressed through the site maintenance programme.
SAPREF’s established double seal replacement programme for floating roof tanks saw completion of a further 2 tanks in 2009. In a similar programme SAPREF is also replacing single seals with double seals on pumps in higher risk operating conditions. In 2009 an additional 86 pumps were upgraded bringing the total seal replacements to 137 . Both programmes will continue through 2010.
These programs have resulted in a 4 % reduction in VOC emissions in 2009.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Carbon dioxide emissions decreased slightly from 987 kilotons in 2008 to 894 kilotons in 2009.
Oil in Effluent Water
SAPREF’s corrugated plate interceptor (CPI) upgrade and a defined oily sewer maintenance programme have yielded positive results in 2009. The average oil concentration in effluent has decreased from 25 milligrams per litre in 2008 to 17 milligrams per litre in 2009.
Approval for an effluent treatment plant is in progress. This will improve the quality of effluent generated by the site prior to discharge to the municipal sewerage treatment works.
Non-Recyclable Waste Management
Proactive management of waste in 2009 has seen a 24 % reduction in waste disposal. SAPREF’s non-recyclable waste is managed by an approved Waste Service Provider and disposed of at licensed landfill facilities.
Benzene
SAPREF runs a fenceline air monitoring program for benzene. Results show the annual average for total benzene at the fenceline is 2.4 micrograms per meter cubic, which is well below the National Ambient Air Standard of 10 micrograms per meter cubic.
Infra red camera
In 2005 SAPREF established a leak detection programme for monitoring fugitive emissions with SNC Lavelin. This programme requires physical testing at each potential leak point in the refinery. The use of an infra-red camera can speed up the process of detection and the 2009 Turnaround was used as an opportunity to test the effectiveness of this technology for detecting leaks after maintenance work. The camera proved it is a useful tool to validate that equipment is leak free after maintenance.
SAPREF has purchased our own infra red camera to support the leak detection programme.
Environmental Care 2010
SAPREF’s 2010 environmental focus will build on the 2009 achievements by:
- Ensuring compliance with all applicable legal requirements.
- Sustaining SAPREF’s ambient sulphur dioxide performance as measured by the eThekwini Multi-Point Plan by maintaining sulphur dioxide emissions below 20 tonnes a day on average for the year.
- Driving flare performance improvements.
- Reducing VOC emissions through:
- leak detection using new infra red camera technology and continuing the focussed progression of the repair elements of the programme
- double seal replacements on floating roof tanks and high risk pumps.
- Continuing the focus on the oil-in-water improvement plan through control at source and finalisation of the new effluent treatment plant design.
- Promoting waste segregation and drive waste reduction opportunities.