Conflicting energy and environmental policies: The portsmouth oil refinery

This case study presents the series of decision-making processes surrounding a current environmental issue—the Portsmouth oil refinery in Virginia. Crude oil must be refined before it can be used as fuel. Additionally, some oil must be desulfurized for use other than as gasoline. In 1977, the nation imported about one million barrels of oil a day. Although the US Department of Energy has emphasized the critical need for greater east coast refinery capability, the east coast is to supply only 25% of its refined oil needs. In the same year, the east coast met its demands for petroleum products from three sources: (a) refinery production, 22.7%, (b) product imports, 28.0%, and (c) products from the Gulf Coast, 49.3%.¹ The energy program after the Arab oil embargo has an objective of encouraging the construction of oil refineries and petrochemical plants in the United States rather than abroad. The tariff is higher on imports of refined oil products than of crude oil, and new refineries are allowed to import a large proportion of their requirements tarifffree.The US federal government does not directly regulate the locations for oil refineries or methods of desulfurization. The oil import program, however, does influence decisions concerning location of desulfurization facilities and refineries, and air and water pollution standards affect methods of refining, besides making desulfurization necessary.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Defense.     

我国炼油行业碳排放估算与分析

针对目前我国炼油行业排放总量不清楚的问题,文章首先对我国炼油行业二氧化碳排放源和影响因素进行简述,进一步借鉴欧洲炼厂二氧化碳排放系数,对我国炼厂二氧化碳排放总量进行估算,并对结果进行了分析。研究结果可为进一步了解我国炼厂二氧化碳排放情况及进一步的减排工作起到参考作用。     

The Worldwide Availability of Phosphate Rock

The US Bureau of Mines has investigated the resource potential of 201 phosphate mines and depositee in 28 market economy countries and 17 mines and deposits in the USSR and China. The 201 mines and deposits contain an estimated 34.2 billiong tonnes (t) of recoverable phosphate rock (at the demonstrated resource level), with Morocco and Western Sahara accounting for 61% (21 billion t) and with the USA accounting for 19% (6.4 billion t). The 17 mines and deposits evaluated in the USSR and China contain approximately 1.5 billion t of potentially recoverable phosphate rock. Potential annual capacity from low-cost, high-grade producing mines in the USA is estimated to decline significantly during the latter half of the next decade, and the US phosphate fertilizer industry will have to obtain phosphate rock by developing new, higher-cost, lower-grade mines or import phosphate rock to satisfy anticipated demand in the next century. Of the world's new production capacity that are likely to be developed over the next decade, slightly over one-third could be produced at an estimated 1981 cost of $40/t or less, and about two-thirds would cost in the $40 to $50 per tonne range (including a 15% rate of return). In comparison, most of the competing phosphate rock from producing mines in Morocco could be produced for less than $40/t.     

Rationalization of imports, refineries and distribution of petroleum in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper outlines policies to secure and reduce the cost of oil supplies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), taking into account the existing forces at play: limited foreign exchange, competition for increasingly scarce funds, and the likely emergence of Africa as the fastest growing centre of energy demand over the coming decade. It identifies major inefficiencies in petroleum procurement, refining and distribution, and analyses the specific bottlenecks at each stage of the supply chain. Many of the diseconomies, estimated to yield savings of US$1.4 per year, are traced to an inefficient regulatory set-up in SSA countries, as well as unnecessary government interference in the downstream petroleum sector. In particular, price controls, small topping refineries, monopolistic agencies, government subsidies and opaque management structures prevent the working of efficient market mechanisms. The paper discusses the importance of policy reform, outlining what changes need to be implemented on the levels of institutional arrangements, closing of inefficient units, petroleum pricing and encouraging foreign investment in the sector.     

Problems and Prospects of Meeting the Basic Energy Needs of Rural Communities in Developing Countries Through the Utilization of Wind and Solar Energy Systems

The problems and prospects of solar and wind energy technologies for rural energy supply in developing countries are examined, followed by an overview of key attributes of these technologies. The application of wind and solar systems for cooking, water pumping, drying, water heating, and electric power supply are reviewed. Two detailed case studies are given, the first discussing the potential of solar and wind systems for rural water pumping in Morocco, and the second, examining the "wind farms" producing electric power in California and the potential for their use in developing countries.     

含油污水回用处理新工艺研究

研究了一种处理回用含油污水的新工艺,二期炼油污水深度处理中试研究表明,以炼油企业二级处理达标排放污水为处理对象,在使用该工艺处理水量为0.5m3/h、水力停留时间为1.49h 以及污水中COD、氨氮、石油类的浓度变化分别为44.07～102.13 mg/L、28.37～50.01 mg/L、4.10～6.77 mg/L时,平均去除率分别达到94%、96.1%、91.9%,其排出水质符合循环水补充水的水质要求。对该工艺进行了5.5h抗冲击实验,结果表明其抗冲击能力优良。     

一种高效的油水分离器

研制并开发了一种高效的污水除油设备,此设备采用斜通道纹板作为油水分离构件。由于构件内液流流动的特殊形态,提供了频繁的油滴之间碰撞聚结和油滴在波纹板上粘附聚结机会,因而具有较高的分离效率,并已在多处油田及炼油厂得到成功应用。     

CO2 capture for refineries,a practical approach

This paper evaluates the opportunities and associated costs for post-combustion capture at a world-scale complex refinery. It is concluded that it is technically feasible to apply post-combustion capture at such a refinery. The costs for capture and sequestration from a gasifier are calculated to be lowest at about 30 Euro per ton; this process currently already produces a concentrated CO₂ stream. Next, the CO₂ source most suited for capture appears to be a combined stack, but there are a number of other sources that may be targeted at comparable costs. In total these sources may form about 40% of the overall refinery emissions. Our evaluations show the costs of capture from such sources based on available amine technology will be in the range of 90–120 Euro per ton, which is about 3–4 times higher than the current carbon trading values. The capture of CO₂ from a large amount of smaller CO₂ sources will bring along even much higher costs. A high-level study of the CO₂ emissions profile of a number of Shell refineries shows that, typically, up to 50% of the emitted CO₂ may be captured at similar costs. About 10–20% of concentrated CO₂ associated with hydrogen manufacturing may be captured at lower costs. The remainder of emitted dilute CO₂ will bring along significantly higher costs. Based on this study, it is concluded for the justification of the implementation of post-combustion capture at refineries, either a significant increase in carbon trading values, mandatory regulations, or a major technological break-through is required.     

The Asia-Pacific petroleum market

The late 1980s saw an astonishing turnaround in the Asian oil market. After years of stagnation, three main factors - economic dynamism, lower oil prices and reduced government regulation of the market - resulted in a consumption surge that surprised even those analysts who had predicted such a recovery. The chronically capacity-surplus refining industry saw a leap in profitability, and new construction began. Rapid demand growth spread from the middle distillates to such formerly depressed products as gasoline and fuel oil, and naphtha markets began to expand again as the petrochemical industry resumed rapid growth. At the same time that demand has been rising and demand patterns have been shifting, other changes have begun. A new environmental awareness has taken root in Asia, and new environmental standards are being set almost daily, not only in the richer countries of East Asia, but also in many of the region's developing nations. Unfortunately, traditional sources of low-sulphur oil for power generation may be limited in the coming decade. Despite many new discoveries within the region, Asian crude availability is shrinking, both in terms of availability on the international market and in terms of percentage contribution to regional oil demand. After years of decreasing reliance, the region will face rapid increases in imports from the Persian Gulf in the 1990s.     

炼油污水处理场无组织废气治理项目运行分析

由于炼油化工污水中恶臭物质的嗅阈值较低,所以污水处理场无组织废气产生的异味一直是影响区域环境质量的重要因素。针对炼油污水处理场异味扩散影响周边环境质量的现象,采用生物氧化技术处理无组织废气,从项目实施的必要性、采用工艺、原理进行论述,对运行效果进行总结分析,经过对炼油污水处理场无组织废气治理,区域环境质量明显改善。     

The supply behaviour of state mining enterprises: A case study of the Jordanian phosphate industry

An important feature of export-oriented production in mineral-rich developing countries for almost three decades after 1960 was the growth of state-owned enterprises. For the phosphate industry, this was reflected in the expansion of companies such as Office Cherifienne des Phosphate (OCP) in Morocco and the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC). There was a strategic importance of the industry for these nations and the large capital outlays necessary for phosphate and fertilizer production expansion often required considerable government assistance because of the perceived high risks of private investment in the industry.     

炼油污水生化处理的改造

随着各炼油厂加工深度和加工能力的日益提高,排放的污水水量不断增加,水质不断恶化,原有的“老三套”中的曝气装置已无法满足生产需要,为此,不少炼油厂都针对各自的具体情况,对生化系统进行了技术改造,主要措施有:淘汰现有表曝池、改造现有表曝池、向表曝池中投加多孔物质或硝化与反硝化菌、增建生化预处理设施及将一级生化处理改为二级生化处理等。     

Phosphate rock production and depletion: Regional disaggregated modeling and global implications

Numerous recent studies discuss phosphate rock extraction, and some even propose that a peak in production could be reached in coming decades. This would have great consequences as phosphate rock based fertilizers are irreplaceable in modern agriculture. Studies suggesting an impending peak commonly use curve fitting models where mathematical functions are fitted to historical world production data, while studies using other methods reach completely different results. Also, a sudden increase in global reserve estimates is commonly used to dismiss these warnings, and has somewhat altered the debate. The recent multiplication of estimated reserves is mostly based on an increase of the Moroccan reserve estimate, leading to Morocco currently making up most of the global reserves. This study models global phosphate rock production using a disaggregated curve fitting model based on the production in individual major producing countries, providing a somewhat different view than most studies, and show that the global trade of phosphate rock could be completely dependent on Morocco in the future. There are several different factors that can potentially limit global production and these factors should be considered for the individual producing countries. Society's total dependence on phosphate rock should be further investigated despite claims of large resource occurrences.     

Electricity in the marketplace: Reconfiguring the consumption of essential resources

This paper critically examines how privatisation and liberalisation of electricity provision is reconstructing energy consumption practices. The paper discusses the commercial restructuring of the electricity industry in the UK over the last four years, illustrating how a reconfiguration of production and consumption interests is transforming the utility marketplace: differentiating the value of resource units, distinguishing between infrastructure suppliers and stratifying utility customers. This process is shown to be resulting in differential forms of service provision as utility companies actively engage with more lucrative customers, presenting opportunities for environmental innovation, while disengaging from unprofitable customers and heightening social polarisation.     

Trials and Tribulations of Third World Petroleum Development: Lessons and Advice for Prospective Producers

This paper presents a variety of lessons for governments of developing countries about how to begin to operate as new oil producers in the world petroleum market. Lessons, drawn from the recent experiences of currently producing LDCs, are identified for each stage of the industry from exploration and development through procurement and supply to refining and marketing.     

Sexual Violence and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Intimate Link

Abstract

This paper critically examines how privatisation and liberalisation of electricity provision is reconstructing energy consumption practices. The paper discusses the commercial restructuring of the electricity industry in the UK over the last four years, illustrating how a reconfiguration of production and consumption interests is transforming the utility marketplace: differentiating the value of resource units, distinguishing between infrastructure suppliers and stratifying utility customers. This process is shown to be resulting in differential forms of service provision as utility companies actively engage with more lucrative customers, presenting opportunities for environmental innovation, while disengaging from unprofitable customers and heightening social polarisation.     

Conference Report on United Nations Interregional Seminar on Computerized Mineral Title Management and Associated Databases

The United Nations Interregional Seminar on Computerized Mineral Title Management and Associated Databases which was held in North Africa from 26 November-7 December 1990, was convened by the United Nations Department of Technical Cooperation for Development (UN/DTCD), in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme. The seminar was hosted by the Government of Morocco. More than forty participants from thirty-one developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central and Latin America, as well as international lecturers took part in the seminar. Representatives of government agencies, industry, universities, consultancy organizations and other United Nations agencies were also present as observers.     

石油炼化企业烟气脱硫技术研究进展

石油炼化企业由于烟气特点、排放特征和减排设施的差别,导致了各炼化企业所采用的烟气脱硫技术的差别较大,尚无成熟、有效、经济的烟气脱硫技术,各炼化企业需要采用的二氧化硫减排技术差别也较大,选用适合炼化企业烟气脱硫的可行工艺技术具有重要现实意义。综合分析了目前国内外已工业化应用的主要烟气脱硫工艺、原理、技术的优缺点以及石油炼化企业烟气脱硫技术的发展趋势,为石油炼化企业烟气脱硫技术研究提供了借鉴和参考依据,并对石油炼化企业未来烟气脱硫技术的研究和选用提出了建议。     

Copper smelting and refining

Detailed research by the Commodities Research Unit (CRU) reveals a wide variation in direct operating costs at copper smelters and refineries. The cost curve for smelters is almost a straight line, indicating that so far there has been no levelling of costs as there has been in the mining industry. Operating costs at smelters using reverberatory furnaces are well below costs at plants using modern technology, but this apparent paradox is shown to be a reflection of location. CRU argues that costs are an important determinant of smelter/refinery competitiveness, but that other factors such as location and tariffs are also significant. Operating margins world-wide show enormous variations, but companies' increasing interest in their processing operations, coupled with changes in tariffs, are predicted to lead to a much more competitive market.     

臭氧同时脱硫脱硝技术研究进展

对利用臭氧同时脱硫脱硝技术进行了综述,分析了臭氧对NOx的脱除机理。臭氧同时脱硫脱硝技术具有明显的一体化脱除特性,但臭氧的发生费用却制约了它的应用。介绍了目前国外在工程上应用的低温氧化技术（LOTOX）,分析了其脱除效果及优缺点。