One of the Biggest Russian Refineries Selects Technology for Its New Wastewater Treatment Plant

Russian oil company Bashneft will use GE’s (USA) ZeeWeed* membrane bioreactor (MBR), electrodialysis reversal (EDR) and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies for treatment of refinery wastewater from the Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim oil processing complex and other enterprises of the Northern Industrial Block of Ufa. Strict discharge regulations, and the need to reuse the treated water, led Bashneft to choose GE's technology for its new wastewater treatment plant.

A successful pilot study of different technologies was conducted by GE in cooperation with Bashneft and State Unitary Enterprise—Institute of Petroleum Refining and Petrochemistry of the Republic of Bashkortostan in April-July 2013, which demonstrated technological feasibility of refinery wastewater purification in compliance with the strict requirements of environmental legislation of the Russian Federation. Based on the pilot’s performance and further techno-economic calculations, Bashneft has chosen GE’s MBR, EDR and RO as the core technology of the modernisation project for a biological treatment plant (BTP) of the Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim branch. To continue development of the BTP design, Bashneft awarded GE the basic engineering contract for all of the main technological equipment and processes.

“Bashneft focuses on protecting the environment from harmful industrial impacts. We believe that the company’s oil processing complex has to have the best wastewater treatment system,” said Alexander Korsik, president and chairman of the management board, OJSC Oil Processing Joint-Stock Company Bashneft. “We see that GE’s advanced technologies’ demonstrated performance will help to solve this problem and make the water of the Belaya River cleaner, which will be beneficial for all the people of Bashkortostan.”

In the framework of the project, GE will use ZeeWeed MBR technology, EDR, RO and ion exchange polishing technologies. Cutting-edge purification methods enable implementation of water reuse and the minimisation of water intake requirements. A distinctive feature of purification based on the GE technological process is the absence of primary clarification tanks and secondary clarifiers. At the exit from the aeration tanks, the activated sludge is separated from treated water using ZeeWeed 500 ultrafiltration membranes. Waste solids dewatering is performed on compact centrifuges. All of the above make it possible to reduce the area of purification facilities and exclude any chance of contaminant release into the environment.

“GE is pleased to offer innovative technologies that will help Bashneft address its tough-to-treat water challenges. The performance of our technologies was proven during the pilot study earlier this year, and we look forward to continuing our support of Bashneft’s projects. We are confident GE’s role in the upgrade of Bashneft’s water treatment facilities will demonstrate a step forward in sustainable development for all of Russia’s oil industry,” said Heiner Markhoff, president and CEO—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.

Biological Treatment Plants at the Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim Branch

Biological treatment plants of the Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim branch were commissioned in 1958. All industrial effluent, storm water and utility fluids from three oil refineries of Bashneft, OJSC Ufaorgsynthez, the Cherkassy pumping station, the Promoborudovanie plant and Novo-Alexandrovka residential neighborhood go to the BTPs after preliminary mechanical treatment. Reconstruction of the BTPs was performed in 1983.

In compliance with an agreement between the Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service of the Republic of Bashkortostan and OJSC Ufaneftekhim on December 26, 2010, by December 2011 the feasibility study for BTPs modernization was prepared. In 2012, a contract was executed for engineering the modernisation of BTPs with USE Institute of Oil and Petrochemical Refining of the Republic of Bashkortostan.