API PUBL 1612-1996

$30.55

Guidance Document for the Discharge of Petroleum Distribution Terminal Effluents to Publicly Owned Treatment Works

Published By	Publication Date	Number of Pages
API	1996	48

Guaranteed Safe Checkout

Category: API

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our online customer service team by clicking on the bottom right corner. We’re here to assist you 24/7.
Email:[email protected]

Description

Petroleum product terminals receive bulk shipments of gasoline, middle distillates, aviation gas, lube oil, and specialty products from pipelines, tankers, barges, railcars, and trucks. The products are stored in tanks and warehouses and distributed to service stations, truck stops, and other points of use. There are approximately 1700 pipeline and petroleum product terminals in the United States.

Terminals generate wastewaters consisting primarily of tank bottom water and storm water runoff from product transfer areas. The various wastewaters are treated by an oil/water separator to recover any free product, and the treated wastewater is discharged as terminal effluent. Often, because of geographic location, low effluent volume, or operating limitations, the most practical disposal option for terminal effluent will be discharge to the local publicly owned treatment works ( P O W . Effluent discharge to a P O W usually requires a permit or agreement from the P O W , specifying conditions under which the discharge is acceptable.

In some cases, P O W s may have significant concerns regarding the acceptance of terminal effluent. Concerns include the following:

a. Terminal effluent may contain flammable liquids, creating an explosion hazard in the sewers or wastewater treatment plant.

b. Treatment effluent contaminants may harm the treatment process, hindering the treatment plant's ability to function effectively.

c. Terminal effluent contaminants may not be treatable by the treatment plant and may thus be discharged to the environment in excessive quantities.

d. Terminal effluent discharges may not be adequately controlled, leading to slugs of oil, contaminants, or volume entering the sewers.

e. Terminal effluent contaminants may exposes P O W operators to health hazards.

These are important concerns for POTWs, but terminals can successfully address them. The concerns are more logically associated with major industrial dischargers, as opposed to petroleum product terminals, which typically generate only small volumes of terminal effluents, have systems in place to prevent flammable liquid discharges, and can readily implement effective discharge controls.

This guidance document is written to assist the terminal through the negotiations of a pre- treatment discharge permit or agreement with the local POW. The document describes key systems at P O W s and terminals, explains P O W concerns, and presents reasonable methods for addressing the concerns.

Additional information