BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT

Transcription

1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT March 2014 PROPOSED NATREF CLEAN N FUELS II IN SASOLBURG, FREE STATE (NEAS Ref No: DEA/EIA/ /2012; DEA Ref. No: 14/12/16/3/3/2/413) 1. PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT C O N T E N T : Purpose of this document Background and Motivation Project Overview Environmental Assessment The National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) has initiated the NATREF Clean Fuels II (NCF II) project which is aimed at complying with future, foreseeable government clean fuel specifications. NATREF is a joint venture between petrochemicals companies Sasol Oil and Total South Africa. The NATREF refinery is designed to process heavy, high-sulphur crude oils. The purpose of this Background Information Document (BID) is as follows: 1. It serves to provide an overview of the proposed NCF II project; 2. It provides an outline of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process; 3. It grants the opportunity to be registered as Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs); and 4. It serves as notification of the review of the draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report. The purpose of the EIA is to identify and evaluate potential impacts, to recommend measures to avoid or reduce negative impacts and to enhance positive impacts. Contact Details 7 2. BACKGROUND & MOTIVATION South Africa has very limited oil reserves and about 95% of its crude oil requirements are met by imports from the Middle East and Africa (SAPIA, 2012). There are six refineries in the country; namely Chevref, Enref, Sapref, Sasol Secunda, PetroSA and NATREF. World regions are mandating increasingly restrictive emission standards which requires new or cleaner fuel technology. In order to meet this, NATREF is undertaking the Clean Fuels II (NCF II) project which aims to reduce the concentration of sulphur in both Gasoline and Diesel. The design specification for NCF II meets EURO V specifications whereas currently South Africa works to a EURO II specification

2 The process of introducing cleaner fuels into the South African market started with the removal of lead in petrol, the subsequent introduction of unleaded petrol (ULP) and the reduction of sulphur levels in diesel. The process of removing lead from petrol started in 1986, with unleaded petrol being available from South Africa s first clean fuels programme was implemented in 2006 with the banning of lead from petrol and the reduction of sulphur levels in diesel from parts per million (ppm) to 500ppm, along with a niche grade of 50ppm. The NATREF Clean Fuels I project aimed at expanding the NATREF diesel hydrotreater to enable the production of a low-sulphur diesel. The NATREF petrol processing units were modified to enable the termination of leaded petrol production. The process was completed in November 2005 and ensured NATREF s compliance with South Africa s new fuel specifications that become mandatory in January As a result of the new fuel specifications, the production and marketing of leaded petrol was discontinued and the maximum sulphur content of diesel was reduced from parts per million (ppm) to 500 ppm The main motivation for the NCF II project is the reduction of sulphur to 10ppm; the lowering of benzene from 5 percent to 1 percent of volume; the reduction of aromatics from 50 percent to 35 percent of volume; and the specification of olefins at 18 percent of volume. 3. PROJECT OVERVIEW 3.1 Project Location The project is located in the NATREF facility at Sasolburg, Free State (Figure 1), within a currently operational petroleum refinery. Figure 1 1: Topo-Cadastral Locality Map of the NATREF Refinery in Sasolburg, Free State -2-

3 3.2 Project Components As part of the NCF II project the following components will be revamped or upgraded: A new C 6 /C 7 splitter will be added to minimise benzene pre-cursors to the Platformer and to reduce C 7 s in the feed to a new LSR Hydrotreater and Isomerisation. Downstream of the new C 6 /C 7 splitter, on overheads, a new LSR Hydrotreater and Isomerisation unit will be added. A new Reformate Splitter column will be added downstream of the Platfomer unit. The Reformate Splitter overhead stream is sent to the new Isomerisation unit for Benzene saturation while the bottoms are sent to the petrol pool. The existing Diesel Hydrotreating Unit (DU) will be revamped to decrease the Sulphur concentration in Diesel and increase capacity. A new LFCC Prime G Partial Desulphurisation unit will be installed to meet FCC petrol sulphur requirements. In addition to the above refinery unit changes, the following modifications on other units are required: A new Amine system for new unit off-gasses will be installed. The new Amine unit will incorporate debottlenecking of the DU Amine system. NCF II will also include integration of the Unsaturated LPG Amine system with the existing amine system. There will be an increase in Sour Water production due to NCF II. A new Sour Water Stripper will be installed. Stripped water from this new stripper will be sent to the desalter for phenol extraction and then combined with stripped water from the existing Sour Water Stripper and is routed to the effluent treatment plant. The intent is to recycle part of the stripped water in order to reduce effluent volume. Hydrogen requirement will increase due to addition of the new units to decrease sulphur in the products. A new hydrogen plant will be built to increase hydrogen production. The following changes to the utility and tank farm infrastructure is required due to NCF II: A new cooling tower system to provide cooling water to the new units. A new steam and condensate recovery system is required including new steam boiler(s). New air compressors will be installed to supply additional plant and instrument air to meet the demand of the new process plants. On effluents, a new process oily sewer, oily storm water and waste water effluent separators are required as the existing system is constrained. Clean storm water to be integrated to the existing system. A new flare system is required for additional flaring from new and modified units. Electricity consumption will increase due to NCF II. Additional substation(s) will be required to supply the new units with electricity. Existing Sulphur Recovery Unit will handle additional sulphur removed from the fuels due to new Clean Fuels II specifications. Six new storage tanks will be built. Two for storage of intermediate product during normal operation, two for crude oil storage and two for storage of blending components during plant shutdowns. A number of tanks will change service and require modification. Two new crude oil tanks will be constructed. Demolition of certain areas not required for NCF II

4 3.3 HOW WILL NCF II UPGRADE TAKE PLACE? The proposed project will be undertaken in a phased approach whereby different components will be revamped or replaced in a systematic manner. Figure 2 Work Breakdown Structure 3.4 ALTERNATIVES As part of the Scoping and EIA process, 4 layout and design alternatives have been assessed. As well as the no-go alternative

5 4. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 4.1 EIA PROCESS Nemai Consulting was appointed to act as the Independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake the requisite environmental assessment for the proposed project. The EIA process will be aligned to the requirements of GN No. R 543 of 18 June 2010 (see Figure 3). To date, the Scoping Report was accepted by the DEA and the Draft EIR has been compiled and submitted to all registered Interested and Affected Parties (I & APs) for comment. I & APs have 30 days within which to provide comment. Upon completion of the comment period, the EIR will be finalised and submitted to all I & APs for review following which the final EIR will be submitted to DEA for approval / rejection. 4.2 LISTED ACTIVITIES The proposed NCF II triggers certain activities listed in Government Notice (GN) No. R 544 and R 545 of 18 June 2010, which require environmental authorisation in terms of the EIA Regulations (2010) that were promulgated in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998). The lead decision-making authority for the environmental assessment is the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), as certain listed activities related to electricity generation or distribution (Activity 10 of GN. R 544 of 18 June 2010; Activity 1 of GN. R 545 of 18 June 2010) as thus require authorisation from the National Department. Table 1 contains the potential listed activities. Table 1: Listed Activities EIA Authority GN Relevant Activity No. Environmental Assessment Authority Ref. No. DEA 544, 18 June , 23 (i), 27(v), 28, 29 (i), 37(b), 42, , 18 June ,3, 4, 5, 26 Scoping and EIA Process NEAS Ref No: DEA/EIA/ /2012; DEA Ref. No: 14/12/16/3/3/2/ SPECIALIST STUDIES The following specialist studies were conducted: An Air Quality Impact Assessment; A Traffic Impact Assessment; and A Noise Impact Assessment

6 4.4 HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED? Overview of Public Participation Process The diagram below outlines the Public Participation Process for the Scoping (complete) and EIA phases (current). We are here Figure 3: Outline of Public Participation process Registration as an I&AP To register as an I&AP, complete the attached Reply Form and return to Nemai Consulting by 14 April Review of Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report The Draft Environmental Impact Report will be lodged for public review at the following venues between 14 March 2014 to 14 April 2014: Table 2.: Locations for review of Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report Copy Location Address Tel. No. 1 Sasolburg Library John Forster Road, Sasolburg Zamdela Library Next to Zamdela hall and clinic on the main Road, Zamdela Public Open Day to present the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report A public meeting will be held to present the Draft Environmental Impact Report: Date: 26 March 2014 Time: 16h00-18h00 Venue: Boiketlong Community Hall Address: On the Main Street, Zamdela

7 ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL CONSULTANTS P.O. BOX 1673 SUNNINGHILL Braam Fischer Drive Ferndale 2194 Phone: (011) Fax: (011) Proposed NATREF Clean Fuels II in Sasolburg, Free State (NEAS Ref No: DEA/EIA/ /2012; DEA Ref. No: 14/12/16/3/3/2/413) Reply Form Registration as an Interested and Affected Party (Complete and return by 14 April 2014 to Rivani Maharaj) Date: Name of organisation: (if applicable) Name & Surname: O F F I C I AL U S E Date received: Our reference: Address Postal: Physical: Status Tel No: Cell No Fax No: Registration as an I&AP: Yes No Please include the contact details of any possible other I&APs you might be aware of: Comments: (note - additional pages may be included if the space provided is insufficient) - 7 -

8 5. CONTACT DETAILS For any queries pertaining to the project, please contact the Environmental Assessment Practitioner below: Contact Person: Tel: Fax: Postal Address: Rivani Maharaj PO Box 1673, Sunninghill, 2157 THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PROJECT - 8 -