In today’s tough economy many manufacturers, including refineries, search for ways to reduce overhead costs. This desire to operate facilities more efficiently has prompted petroleum refineries to increase research efforts, leading to an overall reduction in waste and more environmentally friendly policies.
Recycling Energy and Gas
Oil and gas companies have researched ways to reduce the amount of wasted energy released into the environment during processing for decades. More than ever before, petroleum refineries are investing in systems to recapture or recycle this released steam or gas.
Partnering with neighboring energy recovery experts or installing on-site systems allows facilities to recapture and reuse formerly wasted energy and gas resources. One such system, called a hot gas expander, enables refiners to recover heat energy from the fluid catalytic cracking process commonly used in gasoline manufacturing.
The environmental benefit of hot gas expander technology, according to a report by a GE Oil & Gas employee, stem from a reduction in the amount of energy and electricity required to operator machinery. This significantly lowers the carbon dioxide and nitrogen emissions of refineries that generally use large amounts of electricity.
Lean Refinery Operations
The last few years have also seen large oil and gas refiners focusing on eliminating unproductive tasks in addition to general waste reduction. Shell’s Martinez, California refinery recently introduced personnel to the concepts of lean manufacturing creating a team that Bonnie Roelof, one of the plant’s organizational effectiveness advisor, refers to as “Lean improvment agents.”
From reducing the amount of nitrogen used to prevent pipe blockage to adding time clocks to eliminate the need for contractor’s to drive around the facility to sign in or out, the Martinez plant implemented steps to avoid wasting time and material. Lean operations allow manufacturers of all kinds to make small procedure changes that lead to large environmental improvements and cost savings.
Greener technology and lean procedures are a positive by-product economic downturn and provide a roadmap for improving the way the petroleum industry effects our environment. What other positive changes do you feel that the recession brought forth?
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