Ecology ministry note effective work of Nizhnekamskneftekhim's BTF

Nizhnekamskneftekhim has always paid special attention to environmental issues

Speaking about significant environmental events in 2019, the head of the environmental department of the Republic of Tatarstan, Alexander Shadrikov, noted the significant contribution of Nizhnekamskneftekhim to the preservation of the environment.

“In 2019, Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC completed the second stage of biological treatment facilities. The capacity has been increased in the context of the growth of urban population," Alexander Shadrikov reported.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim has always paid special attention to environmental issues. Back in 2003, the company was the first in Tatarstan to introduce an environmental management system in accordance with the international standard ISO 14001. Today, the level of environmental safety meets the most modern requirements. The company has all the necessary environmental protection facilities on its balance sheet, for maintenance of which a huge amount of about 3 billion rubles is allocated annually.

Since 2001, petrochemists have implemented the fourth environmental programme designed for 2014-2020. Within its framework, 7,2 billion rubles were allocated for the implementation of 414 events. Careful attitude to natural resources, the use of emitted gases as fuel, the optimization of technological processes, the introduction of state-of-the-art technologies — a distinctive feature of the enterprise. Environmental performance indicators have decreased, for example, the specific consumption of raw materials — by 9,8%, heat energy — by 4%, and specific emissions to the atmosphere — by 17,0%.

Environmental safety is priority

The reconstruction of the BTF has become the most significant environmental event within the fourth environmental programme. The ambitious modernization of the BTF began in 2016. Then the construction works of the first stage of the reconstruction of the unit for mechanical treatment of household waste were completed.

The inlet chamber of industrial and domestic effluents, bar screen building, modern aerated grit chambers, the mixer of domestic and chemical effluents, the pumping unit of mixer discharge, electro-cable racks have been newly built, the installations for neutralization of gas-vapour mixtures from bar screen building, grit chambers and mixers.

The works carried out have significantly improved the treatment of wastewater, enabling to catch even the minimum waste of 5 mm in size, while preserving household organic matter as much as possible.

In August 2019, the second stage of the BTF reconstruction was completed, related to the modernization of the mechanical treatment unit for chemically contaminated wastewater. The issue of the BTF reconstruction had been brewing for a long time. The existing technology was considered outdated, wastewater treatment was not effective enough, and vapours were released into the atmosphere from the surface of uncovered structures.

It was possible to re-build the buildings and structures of the cleaning unit — the inlet chamber, the disposal basin for collecting polymer chips with a gas outlet, grit chambers, the unit for removing volatile hydrocarbons and the gas cleaning unit. Additionally, the latest gas treatment facilities — biofilters — have been installed. Special microorganisms that inhabit the filter boxes operate around the clock, neutralizing unpleasant odours.

To prevent air pollution, biological gas cleaning units are provided to neutralize the gas phase from preaerators and settling tanks, the cleaning efficiency reaches 95%.

Laboratory studies confirm a high degree of treatment of industrial and urban wastewater. Here are some indicators: last year, compared to 2018, there decreased the concentration of methanol (by 95%), chromium (by 95%), aluminum (by 78%), copper (by 66%), zinc (by 49%), surfactants (by 47%), manganese (by 44%), and nitrites (by 31%) in the treated runoff after the BTF.

The BTF modernization continues. In 2019, the works on replacing the fuel oil boiler with a gas one began. It will reduce air emissions by 84 t/year (or by 75%) compared to the old boiler house. Besides, the cost of fuel consumption and delivery for boiler room maintenance will be reduced by 44%. The boiler room can operate in autonomous mode if the gas supply is temporarily down.

The construction and installation works were also completed on a new off-site collector of industrial wastewater with a length of about 15 kilometres. It will increase the capacity for the wastewater transportation system to treatment facilities, which will also reduce the negative impact on the environment.

It should be noted that Nizhnekamskneftekhim invested more than 3 billion rubles in the reconstruction of the BTF, including the construction of the reservoir.

Petrochemists and scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences unite

Also, at the board meeting, Alexander Shadrikov said that in 2019 the representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences were invited to Tatarstan to solve environmental problems. At the end of December, the academicians visited Nizhnekamsk and the BTF, which made a great impression on scientists. In their opinion, this is one of the most modern and highly efficient treatment facilities in Russia.

“In Nizhnekamsk, there are good treatment facilities. Last week, we visited wastewater treatment plants in Sochi, on the Olympic facilities. I can say that Nizhnekamsk BTFs are not inferior to them in any way, but the task is much more difficult here because there are also industrial wastes," said Yevgeny Kuznetsov, the head of the water supply and sanitation department of the St. Petersburg Electrical and Technical Company.”

Azat Bikmurzin, the director general of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC, told Realnoe Vremya that petrochemists are currently actively working with the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“We are working with the Russian Academy of Sciences to improve our processes. After the introduction of wastewater control, the situation has changed. We have taken a number of measures, both organizational and technical, to reduce the impact of effluents not only to water resources but also to the atmosphere. This allows us to significantly improve the performance and discipline our production," Azat Bikmurzin commented on the results of the cooperation.

Earlier, three institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences agreed to lead a competence centre in Nizhnekamsk for comprehensive solution to the problem of harmful emissions and improving the environmental background in general. The work has begun on creating methods for modeling the movement of air masses to detect salvo emissions.

The head of the ministry of ecology of the Republic of Tatarstan, in turn, noted that Nizhnekamskneftekhim is already implementing the most modern methods of controlling wastewater and atmospheric air at the enterprise. The automatic monitoring system enables the company to monitor the situation around the clock, anticipate and prevent unexpected moments.

“Nizhnekamskneftekhim has implemented the automatic monitoring system to control wastewater discharges. In the future, this will allow continuous monitoring of the quality of effluents coming from users of the industrial hub and taking preventive measures for air pollution," Shadrikov said during the final panel meeting.

By the way, petrochemicals introduced the automatic control of wastewater last autumn. All three control points located in the wells of the first zone, the second zone, and the general runoff of the two zones are equipped with automatic measurement tools that determine pH and total organic carbon in the wastewater. All information is transmitted online to the automated dispatch accounting system of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC.

Efficient water use

Every year, the company consumes about 67 million cubic metres of fresh water for its production needs. It discharges about 45 million cubic metres of treated wastewater into reservoirs. Th efficient use of river water is another priority for the company. The work in this direction is carried out permanently.

For example, as part of the fourth environmental programme, 567 million rubles were allocated for the reconstruction of 11 cooling towers, and energy savings amounted to 15 million kWh/year. And the consumption of river water over the past 6 years has decreased by 2 million 167 thousand cubic metres (3,1%).

In 2018, Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC completed the cleaning of the buffer pond No. 1 on the Tunguch River and the dewatering of seized sediments using the Geotube geocontainer's highly efficient filtering tissue system.

In just three years, 67,000 tonnes of sediment was seized and dewatered by petrochemists. Expenses amounted to 106,5 million rubles. These measures will prevent accidental discharge of accumulated sediment in the pond.

Another interesting fact: the concentration of suspended substances, petroleum products, ammonium ion, copper and zinc sulphates, aluminum and iron decreased in the runoff discharged after buffer ponds on the Tunguche River.

“The environmental direction is very important for any region, including our region”

At the board meeting, it was noted that large industrial enterprises of the republic play a significant role in solving important environmental problems, as well as Tatarstan's participation in the national project Ecology.

“I want to express my gratitude to our president Vladimir Putin that we have the opportunity to solve environmental problems. The environmental direction is very important for any region, including our region," Rustam Minnikhanov told.

The leader of the republic expressed gratitude to the large enterprises of the republic that invest their own funds in preserving the environment. These are companies such as TAIF, Tatneft, and KAMAZ.

“We are a an industrial, technogenic republic. We will expand the list of industrial facilities that will be under the control of the ministry of ecology and natural resources of the Republic of Tatarstan," Rustam Minnikhanov concluded.

The company is developing, emissions are reduced

Over the past 20 years, Nizhnekamskneftekhim has reduced its air emissions by 58% (from 48,074 tonnes in 2001 to 20,100 tonnes in 2019). And this is despite the fact that production has increased almost twofold (84%) (from 1,429,000 tonnes in 2001 to 2,632,000 tonnes in 2019).

The company is not going to stop at what has been achieved but will continue its course to improve the ecology of the region. According to petrochemists, in the near future, together with environmental agencies, city authorities, scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and enterprises of the industrial hub, it is necessary to develop and implement a programme to improve the quality of wastewater and atmospheric air.

The issue of an unattended collector in the village of Stroiteley remains unresolved. It is also necessary to conduct an audit of enterprises located in the village of Stroiteley and BSI for their compliance with environmental legislation. To study the effluents of large industrial objects of trade, production of food products, filling stations, dry cleaners.

It is important to implement an interactive scheme of collectors indicating all subscribers, and to equip the outfalls with automated response systems. To conduct a thorough inventory of oil production and pumping stations, identify the amount of harmful substances released into the air and determine the impact on the environment.

Partnership material