Bharat Petroleum Energizing Life

Energy Conservation

Being in the business of supplying clean energy to the nation, BPCL is very conscious of its energy conservation activities. Energy conservation has a direct impact on environmental emissions.

Despite increase in the complexity of operations, the Mumbai refinery has achieved significant reduction in fuel and loss in the last few years by incorporation of various energy conservation measures, constant monitoring / tighter control of plant operations & good housekeeping. Energy conservation efforts received continuous focus both in terms of improvement in operation / maintenance as well as development of new projects. Continuous monitoring of fuel consumption and hydrocarbon loss is undertaken using sophisticated instruments and data acquisition system. An elaborate energy accounting system and Management Information System are important features in BPCL Refinery operations.

The following energy conservation and loss control measures has been implemented which has resulted in significant fuel savings.

• Maximisation of crude throughput in modern highly energy efficient integrated Crude & Vacuum Unit.
• Antifoulant chemical injection in all Crude & Vacuum units.
• Application of High Emissivity Ceramic Coatings on Tubes & refractory of CRU Inter 1 & 2 heaters resulting in 3% fuel saving.
• Injection of fire side chemical additive in HVU / CRU heaters.
• Reduction of Hydrogen loss to flare from MUG compressor section of Hydrocracker Unit.
• Water washing & cleaning of Air Pre Heaters.
• Comprehensive study on “Instrument air leak survey” was carried out to identify air leaks.
• A comprehensive “Steam Generation and Distribution Study” was carried out.

Environment, Energy, Safety and Health are given utmost priority at our Mumbai Refinery. Bharat Petroleum’s Mumbai Refinery is certified under ISO 14001 (Environment Management System) since May 1998. It was among the first refineries in the country to form an independent Energy & Environmental Cell in the year 1962. It is our endeavour to achieve excellence in the above critical areas while carrying out the day-to-day business operation.

We have taken various green environmental initiatives to minimise the impact of refinery operations on emissions, effluents and solid waste generation. BPCL meticulously follows the limits /norms set at refinery. BPCL ensures incorporation of modern / clean technologies for proper monitoring and abating the pollutants through Stack Monitoring Instrument; Ambient Monitoring Stations at various locations in the Refinery, Online Emission Display Boards in the refinery.formation System are important features in BPCL Refinery operations.

Some of major green initiatives taken by Mumbai Refinery are as follow:

• Upgrading Refinery to produce clean automotive fuels
  • Installation and commissioning of Hydrocracker unit under Refinery Modernisation Project (RMP) for production of Euro lll Grade Auto Fuel product (High Speed Diesel)
  • Installation of Diesel Hydro-desulphurisation facility for production of Euro lll Grade Auto Fuel product (High Speed Diesel)
  • Revamp of catalytic Reformer Unit for production of Euro III Grade Motor spirit
  • Installation Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) Unit to replace Tetra Ethyl Lead (TEL) from motor spirit
  • Currently BPCL is upgrading their refinery units for producing Euro-III/IV quality auto fuels from 2010
• Production of High Quality Group II + Lube Oil Base Stock (LOBS) for manufacturing environment friendly (ultra - low sulphur, long life) lube oils.

• Improvement in Energy Efficiency of the Refinery & distribution operation by use of new technology & modern instrumentation:
  • High efficiency boilers & fixed heaters equipped with air pre-heaters & advanced instrumentation like Flame detectors / CO sensors.
  • High heat recovery crude preheat train systems optimized using Pinch technology.
  • Installation of cross-country multi-product pipeline (Mumbai-Manmad-Mangliya-Bijwasan pipeline) to transport petroleum products such as Motor Spirit, kerosene and High Speed Diesel thereby reducing road movement and minimizing vehicular emissions.
  • Installation of Co-generation plant for simultaneous generation of both power and steam at high efficiency.
  • Installation of low-NOx burners in fired heaters to reduce release of Nitrogen oxides from fired heaters.
• Use of high emissivity ceramic coating on furnace refractory & radiant tubes to improve furnace efficiency & save fuel.

• Minimize / eliminate fugitive emissions through:
  • Implementation of industry best practices like hydrocarbon leak detection & repair (LDAR) and
  • Use of floating roof tanks with secondary seals and still well sleeve systems
  • Installation of vapour recovery systems etc.

• Provision of high efficiency Sulphur Recovery Units (99 % efficiency)
  • BPC has installed modern state of the art Waste Water Treatment Plant by M/s. Zimpro Passivant, USA to meet Minimal National Standard (MINAS).
  • Provision of recirculating sea cooling tower system which replaced the once through sea cooling water system thereby minimizing the sea cooling requirement and effluent discharge to the sea.

• Treated effluent water recycling and re-use and rain water harvesting
• Re-circulating sea cooling tower systems instead of once through sea cooling water system thereby minimizing the sea cooling requirement and effluent discharge to the sea.
• A comprehensive system for hazardous waste management has been implemented at BPCL refinery. The details of various clean technologies implemented for optimal solid waste management are given below:
  • Mechanized oil recovery system for oil recovery from oily sludge to recover the oil from the crude tank bottom sludge.
  • The remaining soil having low oil content is bio-remediated with the help of specialized micro-organisms based “oil zapper” technology from The Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi.
  • Spent catalysts are either recycled to the original catalyst suppliers or disposed off to secured landfill sites in accordance with the MOE&F Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules.
  • A Bio Gas plant has been installed at Mumbai refinery to convert canteen food waste into gas for use in canteen.

• Environmental Awareness and Accolades
  • Published Sustainability Report for the year 2007-08 in line with GRI guidelines.
  • World Environment Day, 5th June is celebrated every year by organising various awareness programmes for employees, students and general public such as display of banners, drawing competition for school children, tree plantation at various locations in Mumbai, free PUC check-up for petrol/diesel driven vehicles for public etc.
  • BPCL Mumbai Green Refinery won the Golden Peacock Environment Management Gold Award 2008 instituted by World Environment Foundation, U.K.
  • BPCL Refinery has received the Greentech Gold Award by M/s. Greentech foundation.
  • BPCL Mumbai refinery received FICCI Award 2001/02 in recognition of Corporate Initiative in Environmental Conservation & Pollution Control. The award was presented by the Hon’able Prime Minister of India Shri. A.B. Vajpayee to our C & MD on 13th December, 2002.
  • Energy conservation in Refineries Award for Best Improvement in Energy Conservation awarded by Centre for High Technology under Ministry of Petroleum and natural gas.