Little Danube

ENHANCE THE PROTECTION OF LITTLE DANUBE AGAINST POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION BY POLLUTANTS FROM THE COMPANY SLOVNAFT, a.s.

The premises of the company Slovnaft, a.s. is situated in the outskirts of Bratislava in close proximity of the River Danube and the River Little Danube and it extend to the protected water area Rye Island. We are fully aware of our position and environmental impact. Therefore, we make maximum effort to find solution that minimize the impact of our activities on the environment. In 2013, we launched a new project regarding the discharge of waste water, which is beyond the framework of legislative. The project aims to “Enhance the Protection of the Little Danube”.

PROJECT HISTORY

Due to being technically challenging, the project has been divided into two stages. The first stage has already been executed and put into use. The costs of the first stage have exceeded 240 thousand €. In the first stage of the project, continuous oil analysers, connected to the company’s water management dispatching and operation, were attached to individual B1 and B2 collectors. By affixing the analysers, we have ensured that the quality of flowing through B1 and B2 collectors to C collector are monitored continuously. On C collector, we installed a floating barrage for catching floating hydrocarbons, which will be used if the concentration of oil substances increases. Thus we have managed to reduce the load put on the waste water treatment facility at block 17-18. We have replaced a floating barrage and a skimmer with a more modern and effective type at the outlet leading from waste water treatment at block 17-18.

It is assumed that the second project stage will be completed in 2019. As a part of planned activities, the period of waste water retaining is going to be prolonged using a rain catch basin. The operation of waste water treatment at block 17-18 is going to be automatized to maximize the use of separator chambers. We will ensure that the quality of waste water is monitored using continuous analyzators and a video surveillance system along the whole length of C collector. The sampling equipment for taking samples, a mobile multi-functional device and the laboratory equipment for determining oil concentration are going to be purchased for the operation Water Management. Unit operation Aromatic Extraction and unit operation HRP 5 are going to be connected to circulation centres within the project as well. Doing so, we will ensure the transmission from a reverse flow cooling system to a circulation cooling system, what will reduce the amount of waste water and pollutants discharged on the recipient Little Danube.

MAIN RESULTS AND OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT (WHAT CHANGED?)

By completing the project successfully, we will:

• Be able to identify and localize a source of pollution more quickly and precisely.
• Increase the retention volumes of the polluted waste water.
• Reduce the time necessary for identifying the source and decontamination.
• Be able to divert the waste water to the rain catch basin and pump it into a chemical sewer.
• Ensure that another production units are connected to a water circulation cooling system, it will reduce water consumption in the Refinery and it will also reduce the amount of the waste water discharged from waste water treatment at block 17-18.