Tehran Oil Refining Company has been introduced by the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company as the top refiner in terms of measures taken to help preserve the environment.
The ranking came after surveys by NIORDC based on various criteria including green space, wastewater, air pollutants, and energy management among others, YJC reported.
According to environmental laws, industries and production units should allocate 10% of their total area to green space. In addition to complying with regulations, Tehran Oil Refinery has 293 hectares of green space.
Regarding sewage treatment, the refinery increased the capacity of its wastewater treatment unit to 11,000 cubic meters per day and plans to use treated wastewater instead of municipal water.
The plan to transfer sewage from the South Tehran Wastewater Treatment Complex to Tehran Oil Refinery is underway and when completed 19 million cubic meters of sewage a year will be diverted to the refinery’s wastewater unit. Treated wastewater will be used for cooling towers and in the refinery’s fire department.
To reduce air pollutants, the huge refinery south of Tehran uses natural gas as feedstock in furnaces and boilers. In the past it used liquid fuels like mazut that were a major source of pollution. It also has installed oxygen analyzers on furnaces and boilers to control the combustion process and reduce gas consumption.
Moreover, the refinery has launched a nitrogen production unit to improve health and environmental standards.
With the capacity to produce 1,200 cubic meters of nitrogen per hour, the unit will help replace natural gas with nitrogen in storage tanks to prevent possible hazards from flammable liquids.
CO2 Emissions
A carbon dioxide recycling facility near the refinery has decreased its CO2 emissions. The refinery annually converts 40,000 tons of CO2 emissions into industrial and food-grade CO2, meeting 15% of the domestic demand for the product.
Prior to the construction of the recycling unit carbon dioxide —the most dangerous and prevalent greenhouse gas — was released into the atmosphere adding to the air pollution in Tehran.
Output of the factory (33,000 tons of industrial and food-grade CO2 plus 500 tons of CO2 capsules and 500 tons of dry ice) is used in assorted sectors from food industries to welding and pharmaceuticals.
CO2 is a natural and essential component of life, accounting for 0.03% of the atmosphere. Plants require CO2 to grow (photosynthesis), and in the process release oxygen into the atmosphere. CO2 is produced naturally by the decay of all organic materials.
It also is a by-product of many industrial processes, emitted whenever fossil fuels are burned. But in environmental terms CO2 is cause for concern because it is a terrible contributor to global warming and many countries have pledged to reduce it in line with international treaties like the Kyoto Protocol -- an international agreement to reduce CO2 emissions and the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Nevertheless, in industrial gas trade, CO2 is an important element with several useful applications, including environmentally-friendly processes in which the gas replaces much more damaging products.
In the food industry, CO2 is used throughout the cold chain to ensure quality, freshness and food safety. In Europe, more than 50% of CO2 is consumed by the beverage industry - and worldwide this amount used in beverages looks set to increase as people in developing economies such as India and China develop a greater taste for carbonated soft drinks.
Tehran Oil Refinery is located 15 kilometers south of the capital. Its nominal crude refining capacity is 250,000 barrels a day. It produces 7 million liters of unleaded gasoline with octane ratings of 87 (regular) per day. The company’s daily diesel output is 8 million liters.
