Application of Combined Technologies for the Treatment of Phenols in Wastewater Oil Productions

摘要

The removal of phenols from wastewaters at crude oil production fields is one of the most important challenges in the Arauca-Field of ECOPETROL S.A. (Saravena, Arauca). Based on the review of available technologies for wastewaters treatment with variable phenol concentrations above maximum allowable limits, both at National and International levels, a combined alternative using biological (biodegradation) and physical (aeration - photo oxidation) technologies was considered. The implementation of this combination of technologies allowed the crude oil production field to comply with phenol concentrations at the discharge, obtaining higher than 99% removal efficiency and being consistently lower than the maximum allowable limit set by environmental authorities.