Downstream Oil & Gas

Water is a major issue during downstream oil and gas processes. A quality product is essential for the smooth running of refining processes. Therefore, we provide our customers with raw water that is healthy and safe.

The raw water produced by Veolia Water Technologies meets the reliability requirements of seawater desalination applications. Our company also:

• Pre-treats process water.
• Produces process water to be fed to boilers and to be used as cooling water.
• Produces demineralized water for dilutions that are necessary in petrochemical processes.

Respect for the environment is at the heart of our priorities. Veolia Water Technologies treats wastewater generated by oil and gas industrial processes during downstream activities. Our mission consists in treating wastewater, rainwater, and industrial effluent, before it is reused or discharged.

Our treatment processes aim to purify water of elements that are toxic to the environment.

Such pollutants may be of any kind. They include, for example:

• Hydrogen sulphide
• COD
• Ammonia
• Hydrocarbons dissolved and dispersed
• Oils
• Phenols
• BOD
• Mercury
• Cyanides
• Selenium 
• Chlorides

It is essential to treat wastewater and remove all traces of pollutants for water of the highest quality. Additionally, in our constant concern for sustainability, we offer reusing and recycling water solutions in downstream oil and gas operations, helping our clients to meet regulatory compliance and at the same time, protecting the environment and minimizing the need for freshwater for makeup demand.  Our technologies recycle wastewater by removing pollutants before returning it to the natural environment.

To remove dissolved and dispersed hydrocarbons in water, Veolia Water Technologies uses Macro Porous Polymer Extraction (MPPE®) water treatment technology. This patented technology, operational since the 1990s can reach a removal efficiency of 99.9999% .

Particularly effective, this technique has many advantages. It is a process that generates no waste, except the hydrocarbons in pure form. OPEX is low since it does not need chemicals and it has a low power and steam consumption. We offer an automated, remote-controlled, and fully guaranteed process.

Depending on the contamination level, wastewater can go through what is called primary, secondary or tertiary treatment levels based on how and where the water will be reused or disposed of. Typically, processes start with deoiling using API, CPI and DAF (in series or separately), followed by biological treatment and eventually by UF/RO for reuse or even zero liquid discharge using RO brine evaporation and crystallization. Veolia is an expert with all these processes, allowing us to provide the most optimized, guaranteed solution to meet our customers’ most stringent requirements

Water is used in almost all refining activities, from washing the crude oil during the desalting process to cooling and heating activities, as well as for all the utilities (water, steam, etc.). Refining processes will also generate wastewater which needs to be treated to be reused or disposed of in the safest way possible.

Water is becoming more scarce and almost all types of wastewater can be reused to minimize the impact of activities on the environment. But it depends on the cost that a company is willing to engage to treat the wastewater and sludge generated by its activities. A full assessment of the real cost of water is necessary to make the best decision and the cost of any actual and future impact on the environment must be taken into account. The impact on the permit to operate as well as on the reputation of the company and of the different stakeholders also needs to be taken into consideration when making such an important decision.