Current Status and Future Prospects of Air Quality and Management in Petroleum Refineries: A Review

Abstract

The air quality in petroleum refineries is one of the most critical factors in the petroleum refining processes. Several parameters in the air usually have a direct influence on human health and the environment, including poisoning gases, vapors, and particulate matter (PMs). In the present study, the air quality was evaluated in petroleum refineries sites to provide more understanding of the effect of the presence of such polluted materials on the environment and the operator’s health in the refinery. It was found that petroleum refineries produce a series of fatal compounds such as sulfur compounds hydrocarbons (gases and vapors), and PM_0.1, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀. All these materials have a solid impact on human health. It was found that they used many types of air filters, such as personal masks or central air filtration units reducing the concentration of such polluted material dramatically. Also, the results showed that the used crude oil (API) and sulfur contents are the main two important factors that reflect air quality. The high API crude oil with low sulfur compounds produces low polluted material in the air. Moreover, it was found that the modern refineries that used Euro-5 (eco-friendly design) produced fewer emissions with a cleaner environment in comparison with old versions of the refining design.