Major improvement in Engen Refinery's environmental performance

Wednesday, 01 September 2010

Engen Refinery has taken a giant step up in terms of improved environmental performance by completing a full year without having a single attributable sulphur dioxide (SO₂) exceedance.

This is reflects massive turnaround over the past five years coming from a situation where the refinery initially struggled to operate within the limits set in its schedule trade permit.

Although the Refinery, which operates under some of the strictest environmental constraints and closest monitoring in South Africa, may have up to 35 ten minute exceedances (higher than permitted concentrations (191ppb) of SO₂ for more than ten minutes) without penalty, not a single SO₂ exceedance at any of the many Durban South Basin monitoring stations was attributed to Engen during 2009.

"This was achieved through a combination of intensive capital investment in technology and improved operating procedures. It was implemented in line with Engen's policy of being industry leaders in terms of environmental performance," says refinery general manager, Willem Oosthuizen.

His comments follow the publication, on 30 August 30 of the refinery's Annual Environmental Performance Report covering the 2009 calendar year, and presentation to eThekwini Health Department as required by its Five-year Scheduled Trade Permit issued in 2004.

The report showed not only that Engen Refinery complied in all respects with the permit requirements, but that it has been proactive in working closely with the authorities using an Environmental Management Plan to identify and address priority environmental issues related to its activities.

The Refinery has also forged ahead in other areas aimed at reducing its environmental footprint through projects such as the implementation of an integrated waste management plan which is now regarded as a benchmark for the rest of Engen.

Oosthuizen noted that the Refinery had pushed ahead with these improvements despite the fact that the high cost coupled with low international refining margins had put severe pressure on the refinery's bottom line over the past two years.

He added that the refinery endorses initiatives aimed at producing one set of requirements for permits, reporting, and incident management and reporting standards that apply nationally across all industries. Not only will this contribute to environmental sustainability, it will also ensure that all industries operate on level playing fields.

It should eliminate the likelihood of some industrial operations being negatively spotlighted simply because they are measured against tougher standards.