Refinery Sludge Treatment/Hazardous Waste Minimization Via Dehydration and Solvent Extraction

Abstract

Abstract The patented Carver-Greenfield (C-G) Process®, a combination of dehydration and solvent extraction treatment technologies, has a wide range of uses in separating hydrocarbon solvent-soluble hazardous organic contaminants (indigenous oil) from sludges, soils, and industrial wastes. As a result of this treatment, the products from a C-G Process facility are: •Clean, dry solids which are typically suitable for disposal in nonhazardous landfills;•Water which is treatable in an industrial or Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) wastewater treatment facility;•Extracted indigenous oil containing hydrocarbon soluble contaminants which may be recycled or reused or disposed of at less cost because its volume is smaller than the original waste feed. The C-G Process was demonstrated on spent oily drilling fluids as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. This paper summarizes the use of the C-G Process for economical treatment and minimization of hazardous refinery wastes, reviews the SITE program results, and describes extending the C-G Process technology to treatment of other wastes. Estimated treatment costs are presented.