101 Series, Sustainability


Refineries face critical challenges in heat management and water conservation, with aging infrastructure and increasing regulatory pressures. Traditional wet cooling towers are becoming increasingly unsustainable, presenting an urgent need for innovative cooling solutions. This presentation explores geothermal technologies as a transformative approach to addressing refineries' cooling and energy efficiency challenges. Modern refineries typically operate with billion BTUs of excess heat, representing a significant opportunity for energy optimization. Geothermal cooling strategies offer multiple benefits, including substantial water savings, reduced energy consumption, and potential for waste heat monetization. By leveraging absorption chillers, thermal energy networks, and advanced heat exchange technologies, refineries can unlock new economic and environmental efficiencies.

Key discussion points will include:

  • Quantifying waste heat potential in refinery operations

  • Geothermal cooling technologies for process units

  • Water scarcity mitigation strategies

  • Economic benefits of thermal energy network implementation

  • Case studies demonstrating successful heat management interventions

  • This presentation provides process engineers and executive leadership a comprehensive overview of geothermal cooling's potential to revolutionize refinery thermal management, offering a pragmatic pathway to improved operational sustainability.



Moderator:
Alex Bruns, Nalco Water

Presenter:
Jay Egg, Egg Geo LLC
Mimi Egg, Egg Geo LLC
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