Sujit K. Sarkar, P.Eng.
The Petrochemical Industry
and the Climate Change
SUJIT SARKAR
(CANADA)
The title of this paper “The Petrochemical
Sujit K. Sarkar, P.Eng.
Industry and the Climate Change” implies that there
BSG Engieneering Business Solutions Group
is a direct link between the two and the current
devastations caused by the climate change
somehow can be blamed on the Petrochemical
www.bsgengineering.com ;
Industry. It is a well known fact that the changes in
Sujit K. Sarkar, P.Eng. is the Director of Technology the climate can be directly related to the so called
& Research for BSG Engineering. He has 39+ Greenhouse Gases [4] (CO2, CH4, H2O etc.), but
years experience which include the development of apportioning most of the blame on human activities
three new technologies (Sulfire, BFU and Enhanced alone is definitely the wrong approach. It can only be
BFU), filing patents in Canada and the USA for BFU done if we choose to ignore the results of our
and Enhanced BFU, strategies for the reduction of findings from analysis of the ice core samples [3]
greenhouse gases and SO2 for the upstream oil collected from the poles, which indicates that the
and gas industry for the Province of Alberta. Sujit
Earth has gone through several heating and cooling
coauthored Technical and Cost Evaluation “Option
for Reducing Methane and VOC Emissions from cycles over the last 800,000 years [3], and this may
Upstream Oil and Gas Operation” for Canadian well be one of those cycles. But at the same time it
Association of Petroleum Producers, December must be acknowledged the Greenhouse Gases do
1993. His practical knowledge comes from direct have an influence on the temperature of the Earth,
hands on engineering and project management and making any effort to limit our contributions
experience for 44 major clients around the globe towards it must be useful.
including the development of specifications, start-up
and shutdown logics, feasibility and economic
The Greenhouse Gas that has been identified as
studies, process simulations, design engineering,
procurement, commissioning and troubleshooting of the major offender is CO2, which apart from being an
process fired heaters, boilers and auxiliary active radiating agent also plays a significant role as
equipment (fans, air preheaters, sootblowers and all exiter for the vast H2O (moisture) that occupies over
instruments and controls), major methanol and 85% of the Greenhouse Gas volume (including
hydrogen plant projects, revamps and retro-fittings clouds). But if we consider the man made CO2 in
for new service or environmental compliance for the Greenhouse Gas mix, which is less than 0.00022
process furnaces and combustion systems (Rotary % [3] of the total naturally emitted CO2 from the
Kiln for hazardous waste), industrial and power
mantle of the Earth, then mans role in influencing the
boilers and all auxiliary systems (pulverizers, air
preheaters, fuel and ash handling system, SO2 climate change becomes much clearer [3]. As for
scrubbing units and sootblowers), hydrogen and CH4 on a molecule to molecule basis CH4 is more
ammonia reformers, flare and burnpit systems, than 80 times as potent as CO2, and since CH4
Hazard and Operability studies for heaters, boilers emissions are only reported at the first metering
and flares. Sujit’s, experience in the field of station on route to a plant but not at the wellhead,
combustion covers the entire range of fuels and fuel leads to wrong estimates. Similarly, the other
handling systems for coal, oil, gas, hazardous components of the Greenhouse Gases (NOx),
waste and all associated instrument controls. He is
however small, need to be controlled, so as not to
intimately familiar with all types of Low NOx
combustion equipment. Projects supported were make the matter any worse than it is. There are
worldwide in scope and supply, using the latest other combustion products (SO2) which is not a
applicable codes and standards for North America greenhouse gas but requires considerations as it
and Europe. destroys the very plant life forms that help reduce the
CO2 inventory.
GN – La Revista de Gas Natural
The Petrochemical Industry and the Climate Change
The current trend of blaming humans for all the Table II
disasters precipitated by climate change has to stop
and technically feasible steps to reduce the man 1. U.S.A. 24.1
made contributions must be undertaken. The other 2. Indonesia 12.9
disturbing trend that is emerging is the political 3. European Union 10.6
infiltration into this problem, so much so that any 4. China 5.8
political candidate without a clear mandate on 5. India 2.1
climate change issues will suffer at the polls.
Everyone is routinely bombarded with images of
disasters (floods, melting ice caps) to sway public This trend clearly indicates that U.S. efforts to
opinion. Voices of reason are rarely heard and if they reduce GHG will increase, while countries like India
do make a stand, they are criticized and shut down. and Indonesia etc. will contribute more and more to
There is also a move to link trade policies to climate GHG emissions with the growth of their middle class
mitigation [1] efforts for investments to be made. and industrial base. It is quite possible that they will
Investments with a high rate of return are marketed choose the well proven and conventional
for environmentally green projects. These may be technologies to fuel their growth and not any new
the path to follow for the industrially developed West, unproven technologies.
but do little to address the real problem of so called
“Global Warming”, which by its own title is a global Assuming that most of the growth in
problem and not just a problem for the West. Petrochemical demand will be in the emerging
countries (Brazil, China, India), and in general they
The intent of the Kyoto Protocol [5] Climate will follow the safe and reliable designs available to
Change Conference was to establish a legally fuel their growth, agreements to encourage them to
binding international agreement for all the utilize well proven mitigating technologies must be
participating nations (polluters). The whole idea was undertaken.
to develop emission trading between the nations in
the way of Carbon Credits, and the establishment of Some of the basic design approaches are as
a central authority to develop business opportunities. follows:
It failed in the sense that it is after all a global
problem that requires a global solution. Taking the 1. For larger furnaces (radiant/convection
carbon credit route only restricts the activity within designs and capacities >20 million BTU/hr), targeting
the offending (participating) group with intent to fuel efficiencies higher than 85% can be used for all
directly benefit financially from the process. For a natural draft operations, and fuel efficiencies higher
proposal like this to succeed, it must be based on than 90% shall be used for forced draft units (with
global sharing of information, technology and capacities in the 100 to 200 million BTU/hr range).
investments that crosses all borders.
2. Air preheat systems for achieving even
Taking the U.S.A. as an example, since it uses higher efficiencies (>92%) can be used for furnaces
almost 25% of all energy resources globally, the CO2 with high fluid inlet temperatures (>600º F).
contribution from the Petrochemical Industry
accounts for 41% of the total CO2 emissions [2]. If 3. For smaller units that generally have
the Natural Gas Industry is added to the mix, this capacities < 10 million BTU/hr and designed as a
changes to almost 61%. It is therefore expected that natural draft unit with fuel efficiencies around 50%, a
in terms of CO2 sequestration or reduction, the number of them can be grouped together and the
U.S.A. will lead the way in developing new combined hot flue gases cooled through a common
technologies. Globally the expectations will be convection section.
different, as there in no incentive for others (India,
China) to embrace any new technology until they are 4. The CO2 from the flue gases can be purified
well proven and financially attractive. Alternate and used for other processes, by incorporating a
energy sources will not be the basis of expansion for CO2 recovery plant next to it. There are some
emerging countries like China, India, Brazil, etc. In companies who will build the CO2 recovery plant at
terms of greenhouse gas emissions the five leading their own expense provided there is a sufficient
countries are as follows. The ranking by % of global quantity of CO2 in the flue gas system (> 100
emissions [4]. Tons/day) and access to utilities for their plant.
Table I 5. As for NOX, there are several options
available, starting from the use of Low or Ultra Low
1. China 17% NOX burners to keeping the firebox heat density
2. U.S.A. 16% lower (9000 BTU/ft³ of furnace volume). For larger
3. European Union 11% furnaces with air preheat systems and balanced draft
4. Indonesia 6% designs incorporating an SCR (Selective Catalytic
5. India 5% Reduction) System can be used to reduce NOX well
below guidelines set for these designs (0.1 lb/million
BTU heat rebase for gas or 0.12 lb/million BTU heat
But when average per capita emissions (tonnes release for liquid fuels.
of GHG) the rankings are as follows.
2
The Petrochemical Industry and the Climate Change
6. For fuel with Sulphur the SO2 can be Sujit K. Sarkar
scrubbed by bubbling the flue gases through CaCO3
beds for very large combustion units. For smaller Over 40 years of experience in the “EPC”
systems amine scrubbers may be used. industry, specializing in combustion heat transfer
equipment design, engineering and construction.
7. Where possible flaring design should include Holder of several patents in North America and
allowance for containing the purged/vent gas within Europe for the processing of heavy oil and safety
the piping system, and reused at a later time. Flaring devices.
is a must in an emergency, but for routine tests or
plant stoppages containing the vent gas within the
plant system for use later can be incorporated.
8. Use of better quality seals (double seals) for
pumps and compressors to prevent fugitive
emissions can be utilized.
9. More accurate self checking type instruments
can be used for higher efficiencies and reliability of
operating units.
10. Carbon capture and sequestration
technologies can be considered to reduce its
environmental footprint.
In conclusion it can be said that:
Blaming the whole environmental catastrophe on
humans is definitely the wrong approach. At the
same time as the lesser Greenhouse Gas emitting
countries begin to grow, they should be encouraged
to limit their contribution to maintain equilibrium. Man
made problems do contribute to the overall
temperature shift and every effort to limit the damage
must be undertaken.
References:
[1] Climate Change and Energy
www.iisd.org/climate/
[2] ANNEX 2 Methodology and Data for
Estimating CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel
Combustion – Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Sinks 1990-2008
[3] Climate Change is Natural: 100 reasons why
www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/146138
[4] Greenhouse Gas – Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas
[5] Ethical Investing “The Green Guide”
2009/2010
[6] Methane and VOC emissions from upstream
Oil and Gas Industry in Alberta (1991) By S. K
.Sarkar P.Eng. And David Picard P.Eng. A “CAPP”
report for Alberta.
[7] Personal files and experience of Mr. S. K.
Sarkar P.Eng. (1970-2010)
