Bashneft pilots GE’s ZeeWeed technology to treat wastewater in refinery

Russia-based oil company Bashneft has selected GE’s wastewater ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology, to treat sewage water from its oil processing complex and other enterprises of the Northern Industrial Block of Ufa.

Bashneft will pilot test ZeeWeed MBR technology along with GE’s electrodialysis reversal (EDR) and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies, to check their sewage purification quality as per the strict requirements of environmental legislation in Russia.

The company in collaboration with the Institute of Petroleum Refining and Petrochemistry of the Republic of Bashkortostan is conducting the pilot test as part of its preparation to modernise the biological treatment plants (BTP) of the Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim branch.

Bashneft petroleum processing and petro chemistry senior vice president Viktor Gantsev said the company is focusing on protecting the harmful effects of sewage from refinery on the environment.

"We believe that the company’s best-in-class oil processing complexity level has to have the best sewage water treatment system," Gantsev added.

"And we hope that GE’s advanced technology 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."

Under the pilot project, GE will use its MBR, EDR, RO, and adsorption technologies to implement closed-cycle principle and reduce freshwater intake requirements at the plant.

The company’s purification process features the absence of preliminary clarification tanks and secondary clarifiers.

Using ZeeWeed 500 ultrafiltration membranes at the exit from the aeration tanks, the activated sludge will be separated from treated water and dehydration of oil sludge, precipitation and excess sludge will be performed on compact centrifuges.

The entire process will reduces the risk of contaminant release in the environment.

GE Power & Water Europe & Russia / CIS engineered systems region executive Chris Jeffery said upgrading water treatment facilities will help the Russian oil industry on way towards achieving sustainable development.

"The innovative GE solutions minimise water intake requirements and minimise the risk of oil and oil products entering the ground and subsurface waters," Jeffery added.

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