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Home , Oil refinery

Environmental Performance

Oil

Oil refineries refine crude oil to produce products such as , Promotion of Efficient and diesel . Use to Prevent Global Warming Large amounts of heat energy are required The introduction of facilities is one during the process, so the refineries measure being taken to use energy efficiently are equipped with heaters, and other at oil refineries. Cogeneration equipment makes facilities. These facilities burn petroleum gas, a possible the supply of both heat and electrical byproduct of refining, releasing CO2, power at the same time. By using SOx, NOx and other gases. Cosmo Oil is occurring from electrical generation to generate working to use energy efficiently to reduce CO2 , oil refineries can efficiently use this emissions, while also working in many ways to energy—the process is more efficient than reduce SOx and NOx emissions. using electrical generation equipment alone. We are also working to reduce the amount of Operations at Cosmo Oil water used in the refining process, and to make provided 39,500kW at the the appropriate treatment of wastewater to Chiba Oil , prevent water outside the refineries. 17,500kW at the Yokkaichi Petroleum Refining Process , and 17,000kW at the Sakai Oil Refinery. 1. Crude oil is heated to the of By improving existing the various desired materials and infrastructure and by divided into fractions precisely controlling (atmospheric distillation, operations, a major , etc.) reduction in CO2 emissions 2. Fractions are purified by eliminating is possible. For example, , nitrogen and metals through the introduction of Cogeneration facility Desulfurization ( inverters, the recovery of at the Chiba Oil Refinery unit) heat from heater , and the careful 3. The purified fractions are processed to checking and balancing of heat input and provide added value waste heat energy, conservation can be Conversion () promoted. (catalytic cracking) At the Sakaide Oil Refinery, existing energy 4. The fractions (base materials) are mixed conservation programs were strengthened, according to market needs resulting in major results in a very short time. As Blending (gasoline mixing unit, fuel a result, the refinery was awarded the 2000 oil blending unit, lubricating oil Agency of Natural Resources and Energy mixing unit) General-Director’s Award.

Structure of Atmospheric Petroleum gas fraction Atmospheric Distillation Unit Petroleum gas distillation unit Heating furnace Gasoline fraction Crude oil Gasoline, 30 to 180°C , etc.

Kerosene fraction Kerosene, 170 to 250°C

Diesel fuel fraction 240 to 350°C

Petroleum vapor Heavy fuel oil fraction Heavy fuel oil, 350 C + ° , etc.

２６ Environmental Performance

Preventing Air Pollution with For the Effective Use of Water Desulfurization and Resources and the Prevention of Vapor Recovery Water Pollution We to reduce emissions of SOx and NOx Seawater and industrial-use water are used in gases by using which are low in sulfur and oil refinery processes. Cosmo Oil strives to use nitrogen in our oil as little water as possible by applying the refineries’ heaters and recirculation of industrial water for cooling. boilers. In addition, After being used for washing and other low-NOx burners are refining processes, the resulting process used to reduce the wastewater3 is processed in the oil-water thermal NOx formed separation unit to remove oil, then undergoes when atmospheric active sludge treatment and other processes to nitrogen and oxygen assist in water pollution prevention. react during Denitration unit combustion, and flue which removes NOx from Promotion of Waste Reduction gas desulfurization exhaust gases 1 Through Volume Reduction and and denitration units have been introduced to Recycling remove SOx and NOx from flue gases. Electric precipitators are also used to eliminate fine The major products generated particulates from exhaust gases. Through these by oil refineries are the sludge which occurs actions, Cosmo Oil's four oil refineries have all during wastewater processing, and the spent cleared regulations in the emission of SOx and catalysts from the refining process. NOx, and are helping in the prevention of air Sludge is first dehydrated, then incinerated pollution.* to reduce the quantity in incinerators which For gasoline tanker trucks, the release of have been carefully checked for accordance vapors2 into the atmosphere with dioxin emission regulations. during loading is prevented through the fitting Spent catalysts are reused through 1 Flue gas denitration unit A unit which removes NOx from of vapor recovery units. reactivation treatments, the metals in spent exhaust gases. and a catalysts are recovered, or recycled as a raw Please refer to data by site on page 41. catalyst are used to reduce the * gas, or adsorption using an material in cement. Through this the amount of adsorption solution can be used. waste and the cost of new catalyst purchases

2 Hydrocarbon vapor are both reduced. The gasified form of light

3 Process wastewater Wastewater containing oil discharged from refining Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi Kasumi Electric Power Plant Biotope4 facilities. At the oil refinery, water contained in the process wastewater is eliminated with an To find a suitable application for the surplus heavy oil from the Yokkaichi Oil Refinery, oil-water separation unit, treated the Yokkaichi Kasumi Power Plant is being constructed, with the aim of selling the by secondary processes such as active sludge treatment, and generated at the facility. During the environmental impact evaluation discharged. conducted prior to construction, however, it was discovered that two rare plant 4 Biotope species–kawatsurumo or Wigeongrass (Ruppia “Biotope” is a German term maritima Linnaeus) and tsutsuitomo or Small Pondweed combining bio, the Greek word for “life” and tope, from the Greek (Potamogeton pusillus)–were on the construction site. topos or place. It is a place Both are aquatic plants which grow in marshes and where plants, insects, fish and birds can exist in symbiosis. ponds. The Yokkaichi Kasumi Power Plant is a biotope They are created by where the safeguarding of endangered species is organizations, schools and companies in their local area for promoted. the purpose of environmental protection. Protection of rare plants in the biotope

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