Sustainable waste management: recovery of fuels from petroleum sludge

Petroleum sludge is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, water, metals, and suspended fine solids. The objective of this research was to develop a technique that will lead to the separation of phases ready for further reuse. A study was carried out to investigate a combination of various systems of electrokinetic cells, to which oily sludge, conditioning liquids, and different electrical potentials were applied. The developed electrokinetic phase separation is a new cost-effective technology, which in turn will permit the revitalization of petroleum sludge. This method can significantly reduce the amount of wasted sludge and can recover new fuels free of metals and water. Life cycle analysis of the recovered fuel shows that a new petroleum waste management protocol might reduce emissions of major greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4, and N2O by 40 026 000, 1057, and 566 kg, respectively, per refinery per year.