Detailed Refinery Release Inventory

Developing a detailed refinery release inventory that identified sources and quantities of releases. 

Identifying options for preventing releases and minimizing health and environmental risks. 

Developing a system for evaluating and ranking the options in light of cost, risk, regulatory requirements, and other factors. 

Evaluating the incentives and obstacles to implementing the pollution prevention options. 

To develop the detailed release inventory, a study team reviewed results from the refinery s monthly mass balance calculation (inputs minus outputs), studied records maintained for compliance with state and federal laws, and undertook a massive sampling program. Mass balance calculations indicated that the refinery had releases of 8400 tons per year. In contrast, compliance records—which cover only those emissions regulated by state or federal law—documented smaller quantities. In addition, emissions of substances covered by the federal Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) were reported to be 371 tons in 1989—or 23 times less than the emissions indicated by the mass balance calculation. 

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To obtain a more accurate inventory of the refinery s releases, the study team undertook a massive sampling program. Almost 1000 samples of air, groundwater, surface water, soils, and solid waste were collected and analyzed the database generated by this effort represents one of the most detailed emissions inventories ever assembled for a major petrochemical facility. 

Pollution prevention cannot be adequately implemented or monitored for effectiveness unless facility operators and regulators know what is being released from the facility and its origin. Therefore one of the study team s first tasks was to assemble a detailed inventory of releases from the refinery. At the start of the project, information on all of the refinery s release sources was not available. This was understandable, considering that complex industrial sources such as the refinery contain hundreds, sometimes thousands, of potential release points. It is technically difficult and impractical to monitor and measure each of these points. 

To minimize the dangers that can occur if HF is released into the atmosphere, both UOP and Phillips have incorporated additives in the liquid HF. These additives reduce the likelihood of HF aerosol clouds in the case of an accident. The UOP additive has been used in a Texaco unit where it increases the alkylate quality by about 1.0 RON. The additive is an onium compound (33) and is perhaps pyridine (34). The Phillips additive is sulfolane and was first used in the Mobil refinery in Torrance, California. This additive increases operation costs by about 0.5 cents per gallon. The increased cost for using the UOP additive has apparently not been reported. HF inventories in Phillips units are thought to be substantial. Although these additives and/or water sprays reduce the potential hazards of HF releases, details have apparently not been publicized on potential dangers that still exist or on the amounts of additives employed. 

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