Energy management practices of oil refineries; a case study of Tema oil refinery (TOR)

Abstract

This paper assesses the environmental impacts of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and assesses the effectiveness of the measures to reduce the environmental footprints of TOR. The study is exploratory with considerations for both qualitative and quantitative research analysis to provide a deeper understanding of how to mitigate the environmental impacts of TOR operations. Fifty respondents were drawn from a target population of 200 staff of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC), Power House (Utilities), Wastewater Treatment (WWT), and Movement of Products (MOP) Clusters of the refinery. A simple random sampling approach was used to select respondents from each department. Both descriptive and parametric analyses were conducted to rank the means of the major themes of the research, whereas the Pearson chi-square was applied to assess mitigation measures against efficiency in the management of the environmental impacts of the refinery activities. A management effort at sharpening employees’ knowledge base on the environmental impacts of their refinery activities was apt due to the resultant heightened environmental consciousness of the staff. The majority of the mitigation measures adopted by TOR to address the environmental concerns of their work are bright, especially considering the positive effort in the treatment of wastewater.

Keywords:

• Environment
• Impacts
• mitigation
• refinery
• management
• effectiveness
• petroleum

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

This paper investigates how activities of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) affect the environment and also examines efforts that TOR has applied to reduce the effects of their activities on the environment. Different tools were used to source the inputs of 20 out of the 200 staff of TOR. The study identified that employees of TOR have a depth of knowledge on the environmental impacts of their refinery activities. The impacts of TOR’s activities were found to include the generation of hazardous solid waste that are difficult to dispose, and the pollution of water quality and groundwater storage by chemicals generated during the process of oil exploration and processing. The majority of the mitigation measures adopted by TOR have the potential to address the environmental concerns of their work,

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jones Lewis Arthur

Jones Lewis Arthur is an Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Sunyani Technical University, Ghana. Jones had his undergraduate and postgraduate education at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Post Graduate Diploma (Innovation in Finance) from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Victoria, Canada. His work experience includes teaching and research at both undergraduate and graduate levels of education. His research interest includes livelihoods, dam impacts, energy management, capital assets and management in general.

Sonny Davis Arthur

Arthur has acquired a stream of experience in both academic and administration positions in Sunyani Technical University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana and Valley View University, Oyibi-Ghana. Jones has several peer reviewed publications to his credit. Jones continues to serve and offer his services including mentoring other faculty in various capacities to support the growth and development of the Sunyani Technical University and education in general. He continues to be an invaluable asset to the academic communities.