Flotation of Oily Wastes
RALPH E. QUIGLEY, Operating Foreman
Mobil Oil Company
Trenton Refinery
Trenton, Michigan
E. L. HOFFMAN, Engineering Consultant
Socony Mobil Oil Company, Inc.
Corporate Engineering Department
New York, New York
INTRODUCTION
The Water Quality Act of 1965 by the Federal Government signifies the increasing involvement of Government in abating water pollution. In addition to
establishing the new Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, it provides
annual monetary grants to states and regions. It requires that the States establish
use classifications and criteria for all interstate waters satisfactory to the Secretary
of Health. Education and Welfare. A period of 18 months is provided for notification and qualification by state agencies of these standards.
It is quite evident that the President and the Congress intend to press for early
action in cleaning up the major river basins and water bodies throughout the country. Pending legislation before Senator Muskie's committee would further extend
the Federal grants to state and municipal agencies and would extend the Federal
Government's control to all waters. It would also permit Federal abatement action
without the request of state or regional authorities. There will be continuing efforts by the Federal Government to increase activity in the field of pollution control.
The States are accelerating their activity in order to establish or improve
their existing abatement regulations. Many, like New York, have already a comprehensive system of use classifications and water standards. Industry generally has
shown a ready willingness to work cooperatively with the States in establishing
these standards. In addition, industry is working to find reasonable ways of meeting
the standards.
Socony Mobil has recently issued a policy on water pollution control which
calls for continuing, and where possible, improving the Company's practices and
procedures for preventing water pollution.
Recently, in connection with the survey of the Detroit River and Lake Erie,
the Michigan Water Resources Commission has obtained Mobil Oil agreement to
meet the standards of 15 mg/1 of oil and 50 mg/1 of suspended solids.
The 1953 edition of the API Manual on Disposal of Refinery Wastes states,
"Waste water from the refining of petroleum must be collected and treated to remove oil in order to maintain the usefulness of adjacent waters. An investigation
of various satisfactory methods and devices used for handling waste water and removing oil shows that these methods and devices are based upon certain fundamental principles, and that their effective use is governed by definite rules of good
practice."
Speaking generally, the domestic petroleum industry, even prior to 1950, has
almost universally used primary treatment in handling refinery effluent waters. In
addition, many refineries, including those of Mobil Oil, have installed treating
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