ADI evaluated the water management value chain within U.S. refineries, focusing on sourcing constraints, pre-treatment needs, and wastewater reuse technologies. The assessment benchmarked the lifecycle costs of primary and secondary treatment while identifying technical barriers to advanced membrane and zero liquid discharge systems. The study highlighted the growing water stress in basins and the resulting competition with thermoelectric power plants.
The client
U.S. integrated energy and downstream company
The situation
Assessing water market risks and the economic feasibility of recycling technologies to mitigate supply volatility.
ADI’s contributions
Lifecycle cost benchmarking
ADI quantified the total cost of water management across different treatment levels.
Technology maturity mapping
Wastewater technologies were segmented by capital intensity and market penetration, identifying gaps in tertiary treatment adoption.
Competitive stress modeling
Primary research quantified groundwater depletion risks across U.S. refining hubs, identifying PADDs III and V as most vulnerable.
Operational practice review
The work identified low-cost “housekeeping” and segregation practices that mitigate wastewater pollution before expensive treatment is required.
Key outcomes
- Optimized corporate water strategies by identifying cost-effective reuse applications and benchmarking water intensity across the refining fleet.
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