Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Alternatives for a South American Refinery and Surrounding Community

Wastewater treatment and reuse alternatives were developed and evaluated for a South American petroleum refinery expanding to 500,000 barrel per stream-day capacity and the surrounding community located in an arid coastal region that both received fresh/potable water from a distant source. Four principal alternatives were evaluated: Case AA, discharge to bay or low quality reuse; Case BB, residential landscape irrigation; Case CC, boiler feed water; and Case DD, boiler feed water including separate treatment of low-salt refinery process wastewater. Alternatives were compared based upon implementability and life-cycle cost estimates. This project features water conservation and effluent reuse. These alternatives were evaluated with respect to capital costs, operation and maintenance costs, fresh water savings value, and other factors, as summarized herein. The highest capital investment would be required for Case DD, although that alternative also produces the most value in fresh water savings. Case CC resulted in the lowest total annual cost.