Biological Disposal of
Refinery Wastes
A. S. Gilliam, Vice President and Plant Manager
F. C. Anderegg, Tech. Service Dept.
Great Northern Oil Company
St. Paul, Minnesota
The waste treatment problems of a modern refinery become more
complex as refining technology advances. More water is used for
cooling as each barrel of product is refined to meet the higher quality
requirements. Crude oil is distilled into a larger number of short
boiling range fractions which are in turn further refined. This additional processing has increased not only the volume but the types of
waste. This has increased the demands on waste water treating facilities. For example, catalytic cracking is responsible for the synthesis of
quantities of phenolics. Desulfurization produces quantities of H2S
and ammonia. Delayed coking aggravates the oil-water separation
problem by releasing oils to the waste system which have a specific
gravity greater than water. This illustrates the necessity of treating
soluble organic wastes as well as the need for more efficient oil removal
facilities.
As true in most modern industries, petroleum refiners have become
very conscious of waste products lost to the air, to rivers, and to the
ground. Minimizing these wastes by process improvements has become
an important part of normal refinery operation. These improvements
may not be of economc benefit; however, they are a part of staying in
business and of maintaining good public relations.
Great Northern Oil Company started to refine high sulfur crude in
the fall of 1955 with a new integrated plant located near St. Paul, a
short distance from the Mississippi River. This plant was designed
for maximum production of gasoline and minimum production of
residual fuel oils and provides severe desulfurization of motor fuels and
middle distillates. There are 12 processing units, each a potential source
of waste water pollutants. There are three sewer systems, three lagoons,
a trickling filter and an activated sludge unit which provide for waste
water treatment.
Figure  1  shows the waste disposal system.
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