• "Environmental Design Considerations for Petroleum Processing Units", American Petroleum Institute, February, 1993
• "Reinventing Refineries - A Community Guide to Preventing Pollution at Oil Refineries", Environmental Defense Fund, 1994
• "Profile of the Petroleum Refining Industry", US EPA, September, 1995
• "Pollution Prevention for Petroleum Refineries", David T. Allen & Kirsten Sinclair Rosselot, prepared for Illinois EPA, June, 1995

• Reduced FCCU NOx and SOx through the use of catalyst additives and state of the art technology
• Installed ultra-low NOx burners on large heaters and boilers that currently do not have low NOx burners. These burners prevent Nox from being formed during combustion.
• Eliminated fuel oil combustion, using cleaner burning natural gas and refinery fuel gas to fire refinery heaters and boilers
• Improved the leak detection and repair program at the refinery with more frequent monitoring and more advanced monitoring equipment
• Installed a minimum of two carbon canisters on all oily-water sewer junction boxes and lift stations that have the potential to emit benzene
• Implemented procedures to reduce flare emissions and unit startup, shutdown, and malfunction emissions

Tanks

What does FHR do to prevent pollution from leaving petroleum storage tanks? Here are some of the ways: Floating roofs on all gasoline, crude oil, and ethanol tanks with double seals, prevent vapors and odors from escaping. Double roofs on some gasoline and ethanol tanks, in addition to the floating roofs eliminate wind shear across the tank, and further reduce vapors and odor emissions. Double bottoms (internal liners), corrosion protection, overflow alarms, radar-level indicators, and leak detection systems prevent gasoline from leaking to the soil and groundwater. The radar-level indicators are accurate to within 1/32nd of an inch, compared to 1/4th to ½ of an inch with the older float indicators they replaced. With the radar level indicators, FHR is able to determine if a tank is leaking much earlier, and employ the leak detection system to confirm whether the tank is leaking.

• Floating roofs with tight seams on tanks
  • Prevent hydrocarbon vapors and odors from leaking into the air
• Primary & Secondary seals on tanks
  • Prevent hydrocarbon vapors and odors from leaking between the floating roof and walls of the tank
• Geodetic dome roofs & internal floating roofs on tanks *
  • Eliminate wind shear over tank, and reduce emissions of hydrocarbon vapors and odors
• Gasketed Fittings/sleeves for floats on tanks
  • Prevent hydrocarbon vapors and odors from leaking around openings (for tank measurement, leg supports, sampling chambers, etc.)
• Welded decks on floating tank roofs
  • Better than riveted decks, which can leak around the rivets
• Submerged fillpipes
  • Prevents splashing and vaporization of products or crude oil and thus reduces emissions.
• Minimize fittings
  • Minimizing openings in the roof minimizes opportunities for leaks of hydrocarbons and odors
• Remove unnecessary tanks
  • Fewer tanks give rise to fewer emissions
• Large, dedicated containers (instead of small drums and pails)
  • Dedicated containers can be returned to the supplier, minimizing leaks, spills, and solid waste

Product Loading

• Vapor recovery on truck and rail loading
  • When filling trucks or rail cars with light products (e.g. gasoline) recover or destroy vapors rather than venting them to the air
• Eliminated barge loading of gasoline
  • Barge loading of asphalt and heavy oils have very few emissions, especially compared to gasoline. Eliminating barging of gasoline also reduces the risks of spills to the river.

Above Ground Piping

• Leak Detection And Repair (LDAR) (Routine Monitoring with specific repair time frames)
  • Using organic vapor analyzers, technicians "sniff" valves, pump seals, flanges, sampling systems and other equipment. If the analyzer detects a leak of hydrocarbons, the technicians or other reliability staff fix the leak.
• Closed loop sampling *
  • Rather than dumping the first bit of product into an open sewer cup (to ensure a representative sample), recycle the product back into the process. This eliminates unnecessary air emissions and reduces the load on the waste water treatment plant.
• Double Seal pumps
  • Using 2 seals on pumps reduces emissions, and can prevent most emissions even when one seal fails
• Improved seals on compressors
  • Newer technology allows for better seals on gas compressors, reducing emissions of hydrocarbons and odors.
• Reduce number of components
  • Having fewer valves and connectors means fewer hydrocarbon and odor emissions
• Use welded joints
  • Welded joints don't leak; screwed or flanged joints can leak.
• Low leak valve packing
  • New valve packing is designed to prevent leaks, even without an LDAR program
• Pressure relief devices to flare (not air)
  • All refinery equipment has pressure relief valves to prevent over-pressuring and damage to equipment and processes. Rather than vent any gases to the air from these pressure relief valves, gases may be vented to the flare system. Compressors return most of these gases to the fuel system, where they are burned to power the refining process. If there is more "relieved" process gas than the compressors can handle, it is safely burned at the top of tall flare stacks.
• Eliminate simmering
  • "Simmering" means allowing a process to keep pressure relief devices partially open, with a continuous stream of gases to the flare. Eliminating simmering reduces flare emissions.

Combustion Pollutants (NOx, SO2, CO, some HAPs)

• Excess oxygen controls
  • Carefully controlling the amount of air introduced to a heater will reduce emissions of carbon monoxide, VOCs and NOx
• Low NOx Burners (including ultra-low NOx burners)*
  • Low NOx burners prevent the formation of NOx during the combustion process
• Improved Heat integration (with improved heat exchange)
  • By exchanging heat from finished products (or intermediate streams) with incoming crude oil or other streams, less fuel needs to be combusted in heaters and boilers
• Replace old boilers and heaters*
  • New heaters and boilers have better controls and burners, and emit much less NOx and CO
• Avoid flaring
  • Reducing the amount of process gases "relieved" from refinery processes, and capturing those gases in flare-gas-recovery compressors, reduced emissions of NOx and SO2 from the flares.

Treated Water Discharged to the River

• Separate storm water from process water *
  • Storm water (rain water and snow melt) have very few contaminants, and don't need to be fully treated in the wastewater treatment plant if they can be kept separate from process waters. This frees up space in the wastewater plant to better treat process water.
• Keep dirt away from oily wastewater
  • Dirt prevents separation of oil from water, and simply adds to the amount of hazardous waste which needs to be recycled. Keeping pads and roads clean reduces the amount of dirt getting into oily wastewater.
• Create vegetative buffer to waterway to prevent erosion and sediment carried by stormwater
  • FHR is working with the Friends of the Mississippi River and the MN DNR to restore 78 acres of bluff land between Hwy 52 and the river, improving the vegetative buffer that exists and protecting rare plants and animals
• Control surfactants in wastewater
  • Surfactants keep oil in suspension, and prevent separation of oil from wastewater, making it harder to treat. Segregating wastewater that contains surfactants (e.g. from cleaning a tank or other equipment) and controlling the amount used results in cleaner water.
• Reduce amine use *
  • Amine is used in the refinery to scrub sulfur from fuel gas and other gas streams, preventing emissions of SO2 to the air. From time to time, amine becomes "worn out" and must be disposed of, usually to the wastewater plant. However, amine results in increased concentrations of ammonia in the treated water discharged, so reducing the amount of amine used and discharged to the wastewater plant will reduce ammonia sent to the river.
• Identify benzene sources & treat
  • Benzene is hard to treat at the wastewater plant. By identifying sources of benzene and reducing them at the source, emissions of benzene can be reduced, both to the river and to the air, as the benzene tends to evaporate as it makes its way through the refinery sewer system.
• Train personnel to reduce solids in sewers
  • Solids, like dirt, prevents separation of oil from water, and simply adds to the amount of hazardous waste which needs to be recycled.

Waste Management

• Corrosion resistant liners in tanks
  • Liners prevent leaks to soil and groundwater. They also minimize the amount of tank corrosion which ends up as a solid or hazardous waste.
• Treat DAF float separate from slop oil
  • Slop oil can be recycled with minimal treatment back to the refining process. DAF float or Dissolved Air Flotation sludge, must be centrifuged and treated before it is recycled within the refinery process.
• Used Motor oil recycling
  • FHR recycles all used motor oil from refinery trucks and other equipment.
• Office paper recycling
  • FHR recycles all office paper and newsprint
• Metal recycling
  • FHR segregates and recycles aluminum, steel, brass and copper
• Cardboard recycling
  • FHR recycles cardboard, both in the office and warehouse
• Reduce Generation of Tank Bottoms (consistent with need to inspect/maintain tanks)
  • FHR's AST permit dictates the schedule for internal tank inspection. This schedule is based on the ability to detect and prevent leaks to the soil and groundwater, and the need to minimize solid and hazardous waste generation.
• Reduce spills
  • By paving areas where maintenance work must be done, or where transfers from trucks or totes to processes occurs, reduces contamination of soil and groundwater
• Heat Exchanger Bundle sludge reduction
  • Heat exchangers take the heat from finished products (and other streams) and transfer it to incoming crude oil (and other streams), which reduces the amount of fuel combusted and thus reduces air emissions. The "bundles" of tubes inside these exchangers become fouled and must be cleaned from time to time. By definition, heat exchanger bundle sludge is a hazardous waste. Improved designs, process operation and in-line cleaning techniques help reduce the amount generated as part of the 50% in 5 year emission reduction pledge
• Recycle spent catalyst
  • FHR recycles most of the spent catalysts (catalysts which have been used in a refining process and are not longer "active" enough to continue to be used.) The manufacturers of the catalyst can either regenerate the catalyst, or recover the metals on the catalyst to make new catalysts
• Biotreater sludge recycling
  • FHR recycles the biological sludges from the wastewater treatment plant back to the cokers, as cooling water, rather than disposing it on land (normally a large waste stream from wastewater treatment plants).
• Reduce contaminated soils (Soil vapor extraction)
  • FHR has recovered nearly 2.5 million gallons of product from historic leaks and spills, using soil vapor extraction which "sucks" petroleum product out of the soil, and draws oxygen down into the soil, where naturally occurring soil bacteria break down residual petroleum contamination. This reduces the amount of contaminated soil that must be removed and land-filled.
• Improve recovery of oil from sludges
  • FHR centrifuges the oily sludges from the wastewater plant, to recover as much oil and water as possible. Both the oil and centrifuged sludges are recycled back into the refining process.
• Recycle and regenerate spent caustics
  • FHR regenerates spent caustic, and "cascades" caustic from the least "dirty" streams to the most "dirty streams" so that it can be re-used many times
• Re-use waste materials
  • FHR recycles most of the oily sludges, biological sludges and "slop" oil back to the refining process to make products. FHR recycles off-site such things as spent catalyst, paper, cardboard and metals.
• Use oily sludges as feedstocks
  • FHR re-uses oily sludges as feed to the crude units.
• Control FCCU fines in sealed dumpsters
  • Sealed dumpsters prevent emission of particulate matter
• Recycle FCCU fines
  • FHR now recycles its recovered FCCU catalyst fines for use as cement products.
• Control & reuse coke fines
  • Using water to control coke fines, and selling them as by-products reduces emissions of particulate matter.
• Train personnel to prevent soil contamination
  • Proper decommissioning of equipment prior to maintenance, proper transfer (from tank to tank, tank to truck, etc.) can significantly reduce spills which can lead to soil and groundwater contamination.
• Internal mixers on crude and asphalt tanks
  • Internal mixers keep solids from settling out and becoming hazardous waste when the tank is opened for cleaning and inspection.
• Supplier take backs of containers
  • Using returnable and reusable containers reduces the amount of solid waste (disposing of container) and the amount of wastewater (from cleaning the container before disposal).
• Appropriate lot size of chemicals and supplies
  • Purchasing the correct amount of chemical prevents waste of that chemical.
• Reduce use of 55-gallon drums - use totes and tanks
  • Using returnable containers reduces the amount of solid waste (disposing of container) and the amount of wastewater (from cleaning the container before disposal).
• Recycle miscellaneous solid wastes
  • FHR is now recycling many waste streams that used to be sent to landfills. Examples include large amounts of filler material (sand, dessicant, etc.) that are used as feedstock for asphalt and regenerating carbon filters.

Groundwater

• Double bottoms in tanks*
  • Double bottoms prevent leaks of petroleum to the soil and groundwater.
• Corrosion protection for tanks & below grade piping *
  • Corrosion protection keeps tank bottoms and below grade piping from developing leaks of petroleum to the soil and groundwater.
• Secondary containment for tanks & below grade piping*
  • In the event of a leak or break in an above ground tank or associated piping, a dike around the tank will contain the spill, make it easier to recover the product and prevent soil and groundwater contamination.
• Overflow controls & alarms on tanks *
  • Prevent overflow of the tank while filling it. Particularly important when tanks are located a long distance from the control rooms.
• Reduce Underground Storage Tanks - provide containment
  • It is harder to tell if underground storage tanks are leaking. FHR provides secondary containment on all of the few underground tanks at the refinery
• Paved & Diked loading areas
  • Reduces soil and groundwater contamination - makes recovery and re-use of product easier.
• Prompt Clean-up & re-use of spills
  • Reduces soil and groundwater contamination

Other/General

• Subject new chemicals to environmental review
  • This can avoid purchasing chlorinated solvents or other toxic materials before they wind up emitted to the air, water or as waste
• Reduce reboiler load by insulating and preheating feed with heat exchange
  • Insulating process equipment and piping, and exchanging heat from products to incoming streams reduces the amount of fuel which must be burned to power the refining process, thus reducing air emissions.
• Upgrade to "advanced" distillation
  • FHR uses "advanced" controls on distillation and other refining processes. This reduces the amount of fuel which must be burned to power the refining process, thus reducing air emissions.
• Improve physical mixing in reactors/columns
  • This reduces the amount of fuel which must be burned to power the refining process, thus reducing air emissions.
• Improve feed distribution in reactors/columns
  • This improves reaction processes and reduces the amount of fuel which must be burned to power the refining process, thus reducing air emissions.
• Improve heating & cooling around reactors
  • This reduces the amount of fuel which must be burned to power the refining process, thus reducing air emissions.
• Use new/high quality catalysts
  • This improves the reaction processes and reduces the amount of fuel which must be burned to power the refining process, thus reducing air emissions.
• Reduce undesirable contaminants
  • Hydrotreating the feed to the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit or FCCU reduces air emissions of SO2 and metals. It also results in lower sulfur, cleaner burning gasoline and diesel fuel.
• Use lower toxicity catalysts *
  • This may make the catalysts easier to recycle and re-use.
• Substitute for Chromium in cooling towers
  • Use of phosphorus instead of chromium to prevent corrosion in cooling water systems is less toxic - in air emissions and water discharges
• Reduce Chlorine in cooling towers
  • This reduces chlorine emissions to the air. It must be balanced by the need to prevent biological growth in cooling towers and cooling water systems.
• Minimize cooling tower blowdown - use of slip stream sand filters
  • Filtering cooling tower water allows it to be recirculated more often, and reduces the amount of solid waste to dispose.
• Reduce chlorinated solvents
  • Use of citrus based solvents and cleaning are less toxics than chlorinated solvents
• Reduce solvent evaporation by using
  • High pressured rinse
  • mechanical wipers
  • pigs - tools that have several uses. A "smart pig" is an electronic device that is inserted through a pipeline to measure corrosion and/or dents to the pipeline. A "standard pig" is an instrument which is inserted into a pipeline to separate batches on materials (i.e.., crude oil or petroleum products). This instrument can also be used to scrape materials off the sides of pipelines to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Compressed gas
    • FHR uses compressed gases to de-inventory mechanical equipment (pumps, compressors, control valves) prior to maintenance to reduce evaporation of product and solvents.
  • FHR uses steam, high pressure rinses and citrus based solvents and detergents to clean large towers before they are opened, reducing air emissions.
• Use non-hazardous degreasers
  • Use of citrus based solvents and cleaning are less toxics than chlorinated solvents
• Use water-based, non-chlorinated solvent cleaners
  • Use of citrus based solvents and cleaning are less toxics than chlorinated solvents
• Use advanced techniques for crude & product transport
  • FHR's Katapult system uses temperature, pressure and velocity measurements throughout the crude oil and refined product pipelines to more quickly detects leaks or breaks, and reduce the possibility of leaks and spills.
• Use sulfuric acid instead of hydrofluoric acid in alkylation process
  • FHR uses sulfuric acid, which is less toxic and more easily recycled, rather than hydrofluoric acid.
• Use solid acid catalyst
  • FHR uses a solid phosphorus catalyst in the polymerization to make gasoline from LPG.

Use energy resources efficiently: Saving energy means burning less fuel - gasoline, oil, coal, or natural gas. And that means fewer pollutants fouling our environment. The result of millions of people driving vehicles, heating and cooling our homes, and running appliances adds up quickly. Here are some practical tips that not only reduce our impact on the environment, but will reduce the impact on your pocketbook too.

Vehicle Use

• Drive cleaner cars
  
• Drive less (consolidate trips, use mass transit)
  
• Use cleaner fuels
  
• Carpool or use mass transit when possible
  
• Purchase vehicles that get good gas mileage
  
• Keep your vehicle well maintained; for example, make sure to recycle the coolant in your vehicle's air conditioner when it's serviced

• Keep your thermostat adjusted to avoid overheating or overcooling your home
  
• Plant trees to shade your home
  
• Seal leaks around doors and windows by caulking or weatherstripping
  
• Lower your water heater temperature; 120 degrees is generally sufficient
  
• Replace old shower nozzles with low-flow shower heads
  
• When replacing old windows, choose those that provide the highest energy efficiency
  
• Use energy-saving appliances (washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, etc.)
  
• Use full-spectrum fluorescent tubes rather than incandescent light bulbs

• Buy items with minimal packaging
  
• Select reusable products rather than single use or disposable products
  
• Buy products made from recycled material
  
• Recycle waste

Protecting Our Environment---Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
www.pca.state.mn.us/backyard/

20 Simple Steps to Reduce Global Warming---Environmental Defense
www.undoit.org/undoit_steps_1.cfm

Reduce Your Waste---Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
www.moea.state.mn.us/reduce/index.cfm