Handling of wastewater is a crucial aspect of daily operations at Liquin terminals. Rainwater falling on tanks and equipment can become contaminated with products making it unsuitable for direct discharge into nearby surface waters without treatment. In addition, water used for regular cleaning of tanks, pipelines and other terminal infrastructure has to be properly treated before being discharged.
Taking control of wastewater
At Liquin, the wastewater from its TTR and Chemiehaven terminals is currently pumped to a water treatment plant operated by a third party company, a few kilometres away. However, Liquin’s wastewater contract will soon come to an end. As a result, a major project is underway to re-route wastewater from TTR and Chemiehaven to Liquin’s own biological wastewater treatment facility at its Botlek terminal. By taking control of its own wastewater treatment, Liquin will not only be more independent, it will also be able to improve service to clients. In addition, the Botlek terminal’s wastewater treatment plant is currently operating at a low load. By adding extra streams to be processed, the plant will handle more wastewater, thereby operating more efficiently and sustainably.
New routing
“TTR and Chemiehaven don’t have their own water treatment plants,” says Marijan Gabrijel, Project Manager Liquin. “Botlek, as the largest terminal of the three, has its own biological wastewater processing facility.” At the moment, wastewater from TTR and Chemiehaven flows southwards along two separate pipelines running alongside the A15 motorway to the current third party wastewater treatment plant. With the re-routing project, the two pipelines will be disconnected at Chemiehaven and joined together so that Chemiehaven’s wastewater can be pumped to TTR. At TTR, wastewater flows from both terminals will be pumped via a joint, under the water pipeline connection, to the Botlek terminal for treatment.
New and existing pipelines
The re-routing project uses a lot of existing infrastructure but will require the installation of some new above ground pipelines at all three terminals in order to realise the new wastewater route. Besides this, the pumping facilities at TTR will also have to be expanded to ensure the transportation of wastewater from both terminals to Botlek. All the necessary permits have been secured and construction work has started. “We aim to carry out the so-called ‘cutover’, when we disconnect, in June, statistically a dry month, to minimise issues related to wastewater discharge,” says Marijan. “After that, we expect the new route will be operational at the beginning of July.”
Multiple benefits
Liquin will enjoy several benefits by being independent from an external wastewater treatment facility. “Wastewater treatment is an essential process for us and we need to be in control,” explains Marijan. “When you outsource it, the treatment plant has its own vision, and when there are problems they tend to prioritise their own operations.” With few alternative options for local water treatment, Liquin has also been at the mercy of any rises in processing prices. The new route will help reduce operating costs. “I also think we will be more conscious of how we deal with wastewater once we are doing it all ourselves,” says Marijan. “As a result of this, I believe that wastewater collected at the terminals will be less polluted. Finally, we expect this project will trigger new ideas and initiatives to further improve wastewater management across all three locations.”
Improved client service
Clients will also benefit from the new route. “During the rainy months, our operators have to manage excess water on-site as our external treatment supplier can’t handle it all. This situation can divert them from serving our clients promptly,” says Marijan. “With the new route, I’m expecting to see an increase in customer satisfaction during rainy periods.”
