Disposal of Effluents from Petroleum
Refineries and Petrochemical Plants
DR. LOTHARHUBER, Chief Chemist
Bayerische Biologische Versuchsanstalt
Munich, West Germany
INTRODUCTION
This paper deals with the disposal of effluents from petroleum refineries and
petrochemical plants. It outlines the means used to combat water pollution and
the experience gained in the past years. Particular reference is made to four
petroleum refineries and a petrochemical plant.
From 1962 to 1964 four petroleum refineries have been constructed in Southern
Germany on the Danube River near the city of Ingolstadt. All the refineries are
located in a very small and densely populated area. The receiving water meets
very high standards of chemical and biological quality and in the near future will
be used as a drinking water reservoir. Thus stringent preventive measures for the
abatement of water pollution had to be considered. In view of the expected further
industrial growth of this area which is documented by the erection of a fifth refinery that will begin operations this year and two big power plants, the state
government and the oil companies had no doubt that the dischargeable wastewater
should conform to very rigid specifications in quality and quantity, more stringent
than previously applied in Western Germany. This means that BOD should not exceed 25 mg/1.   Oil content is limited to three mg/1 and phenols to 0.2 mg/1.
The same situation prevails with a petrochemical plant located in another
highly industrialized and residential area of Southern Germany (Burghausen) where
water pollution at the rivers Salzach and Alz is a major consideration.
The geographical location is shown in Figure 1. The so-called Ingolstadt refinery center receives its crude oil by three pipelines, the Rhine-Danube, the ENI
and the Transalpine or TAL. The TAL is the biggest pipeline in Europe with a
diameter of one meter. As the ENI line, the TAL crosses the Alps coming from the
Mediterranean.    To the Burghausen site the crude is delivered by the TAL only.
PRODUCTION FACILITIES
All four refineries to be discussed belong to the hydroskimming type. They
began operations about simultaneously in 1964. Pertinent experience with production facilities and sewage treatment now comprises a period of approximately
three years. The petrochemical plant of the MARATHON company is scheduled
for completion in summer 1967. Crude capacity, manufacturing processes and
endproducts for the different installations are summarized in Table I. They are
owned by SHELL, ESSO and ERN. The ERIAG is a sister company of the Italian
ENI.
Table I shows that the refineries resemble each other in many respects; the
manufacturing   processes   are   restricted   to   physical   separation   of  crude by
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