EPC-EqTech – an innovative turnkey solution to process spent caustic created in the Oil&Gas industry at low-cost and that meets wastewater regulations

Project Information

EPC-EqTech

Grant agreement ID: 971138

DOI

10.3030/971138

Project closed

EC signature date 1 June 2021

Start date 1 July 2021

End date 31 January 2024

Funded under

• Horizon 2020 Framework Programme

Total cost

€ 3 296 650,00

EU contribution

€ 2 604 317,50

Coordinated by

CETAQUA, CENTRO TECNOLOGICO DEL AGUA, FUNDACION PRIVADA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EPC-EqTech (EPC-EqTech – an innovative turnkey solution to process spent caustic created in the Oil&Gas industry at low-cost and that meets wastewater regulations)

Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2024-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Spent caustic (SC) is a challenging by-product of the petroleum and petrochemical refining industries that presents significant hurdles to cost-effective treatment. Currently, the global oil and gas industry spends large amounts of money to manage and treat this effluent, highlighting the severity of the problem. This is compounded by escalating regulatory standards aimed at minimising the environmental impact of conventional treatment. These regulations have made it increasingly difficult for operators worldwide to find approved disposal facilities.

EqTech is a technology consisting of different electrochemical processes for the treatment of complex wastewater effluents. It has been already commercialised in the chemical, automotive and pharmaceutical industries.

The EPC-EqTech aims to address the complex disposal and treatment of spent caustic effluent, by combining the well-developed EqTech technology with a pre-peroxidation processes, and to improve the management of these challenging waste streams. In particular, it focuses on achieving significant removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), and sulphides. In addition to the quality parameters, EPC-EqTech aims to eliminate the costs associated with offsite management of these effluents by processing spent caustic with an on-site technology, and therefore eliminating the hazard associated with transportation due to toxicity and corrosion. This solution also promotes compatibility with disposal regulations, as it can be discharged into the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) without affecting the quality of the effluent from the WWTP itself. Also reduces emissions harmful to health and the environment due to the action of sulphur compounds compared to conventional treatments such as neutralisation.

EPC-EqTech, launched in July 2022, has been formed by a consortium of four partners who provided the necessary skills, experience and capacity to finalize the development of the EPC-EqTech technology, complete pilot tests and successfully bring the solution to the market for the sustainable and low-cost treatment of spent soda.

Trials with raw spent caustic have been completed in Kirikkale Oil Refinery (Turkey), achieving over 80% removal of contaminants, so the tests at TRL8 are considered complete and the technology is now ready to be prepared for commercialisation.

Finally, the implementation of EPC-EqTech for the treatment of spent caustic can deliver operational savings of almost 50% compared to conventional off-site methods.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project involved the design, construction and operation of a pilot plant for the treatment of spent caustic streams using chemical oxidation and electrochemical technologies. It also included a strategy to exploit the results and identify business opportunities.

During the pre-design phase (WP2), critical system specifications were defined, including material selection, compliance with standards and operational key performance indicators (KPIs). KPI targets were set at 85% COD elimination, 95% sulphide elimination, >90% waste reduction and specific parameters for electrode life and energy consumption.

In the engineering design phase (WP3), laboratory-scale experiments refined operating parameters to optimise pollutant removal and process efficiency. Ventilation and cooling systems were designed to ensure safety and control the exothermic nature of the reactions. Process safety analyses identified risks and provided preventive recommendations.

In the construction phase (WP4) was carried out the integration of the systems to build a plant capable of treating 1 m3/h of spent caustic, ensuring compliance with P&IDs and implementing safety recommendations. The plant was shipped to Turkey for installation at the Tupras Kirikkale refinery.

Field trials validated the performance of the unit, achieving a COD reduction of 85% and a sulphur reduction of 94%, demonstrating a process efficiency of 56% compared to laboratory results.

The project concluded with a commercialization report, outlining potential business opportunities for EPC-EqTech's spent caustic treatment solution, with TUPRAS as the initial adopter. The consortium achieved TRL8 through trials at the Tüpras refinery in Kirikkale, Turkey.

Dissemination and exploitation activities:
Participation in the 9th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management attended in Corfu (2022)
Participation in the 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment (2023)
Promotional video
2 press releases
10 articles in technical and general media
Direct dialogues with 3 potential customer from the Key Account Managers

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The EPC-EqTech project has demonstrated that the EqTech technology can successfully treat spent caustic streams from the oil and gas sector, providing a new cost-effective solution and achieving COD and sulphide reductions of more than 80%. In addition, this development confirms the 'reasons for demand', including ease of operation, modular and scalable installation, high capacity and versatility, reduced waste production, self-cleaning and low maintenance, and small footprint.

The case study also shows a potential reduction in operating costs of 442,6 k€ after 10 years if the EPC-EqTech technology is applied at the Tüpras Kirikkale refinery and replaces the current waste management system. In global terms, the implementation of this solution could generate total savings of 10.5 M€ per year for the identified SOM, with total revenue of 14.8 M€ from the sale of the plant, over a period of 5 years. In addition, it reduces the risks associated with the transportation of hazardous waste for off-site treatment.

The consortium has demonstrated that it has the necessary skills to complete the technology development and prepare the technology for commercialisation. AQUATEC is the developer of the technology and the sole commercial entity to bring EPC-EqTech to the market; CETAQUA is supporting AQUATEC to complete the laboratory scale to transfer the improvements to the market. Tüpras is the industrial partner and first adopter, and DEKRA becomes the industrial safety partner for the EPC-EqTech units. This leads to a socio-economic impact in terms of new jobs, from 3 PM in the first year of sales to 14 PM in the fifth year of sales.

The growth in innovation capacity will include the continuous development of the basic technology by CETAQUA, adapting the unit to new treatments and different spent caustic qualities, and DEKRA will gain an increase in revenue from the growth in EPC-EqTech sales, with a continuing role as a design consultant.