Feb 8 2011
At a Texas petrochemical refinery, the addition of oil skimmers from Abanaki Corporation has improved the cleanliness and efficiency of the plant's wastewater treatment process.
Because the refinery operates within strict environmental guidelines, the skimmers play a key part in its Pollution Prevention Program. The company estimates that the oil skimmers will pay for themselves in less than two years, and save more than $2000 per year thereafter by eliminating the cost of wastewater disposal.
Model 8 oil skimmers
After settling on oil skimming as the most cost effective means to remove oil from wastewater, two stainless-steel Model 8 oil skimmers were selected from Abanaki. The refinery required stainless-steel oil skimmers because of the nature of some of the organic compounds being manufactured in the facility. Model 8 oil skimmers require almost no maintenance and are built to provide many years of reliable service.
Cleaner Wastewater and Lower Costs
The units have been in place a few months, and both management and the maintenance employees have expressed great satisfaction with their performance. That's not surprising -- since the refinery will recoup the investment very quickly. The alternative solution of hiring a sucker truck to empty the dirty sumps is typically $600 to $700 per visit. When mixed with water, many organic compounds are considered hazardous waste, which makes disposal expensive and difficult. The Model 8 oil skimmers have eliminated that step and have allowed the materials to be recycled on-site, saving money in both disposal and raw material costs.