Emarat, the leading petroleum distribution company in UAE with a network of storage terminals and with over 180 service stations spread across Dubai and Northern Emirates, achieved recently an important milestone, by commissioning a Vapour Recovery System in its Distribution network.
Over the years, Emarat has introduced a number of technological upgrades in petroleum product storage and distribution operations for reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and spills. Dr. Rahma Al Shamsi, Retail Sales Manager, Emarat, today proudly announced yet another of their pioneering projects to support the air quality improvement drive of the Government by installing and commissioning a gasoline vapor recovery system in Emarat's gasoline distribution and retail net work.
Dr Al Shamsi explained that Emarat, with the drive to bring its gasoline vapour emission levels in par with facilities operating in advanced countries, initiated a detailed study to introduce gasoline vapour recovery for the gasoline distribution operations as early as 2005. The study conducted by Emarat's Engineering & Services Dept, addressed all the operational, technical and economical aspects of the project. Tested technologies are available and are in use in several western countries for Gasoline vapor recovery. However, the project costs were substantially high and with the prevailing gasoline prices in UAE, the recovery of investment would take a considerable period. Nonetheless, considering the environmental benefits of the project, Emarat's management approved implementation of the gasoline vapor recovery system in all Emarat retail outlets and the distribution terminals.
The gasoline vapour recovery system is grouped into 2 stages, viz: Stage -I & Stage -II vapour recovery, as outlined below:
Stage -I vapour recovery system consists of:
Collection of gasoline vapour and air mixture from underground storage tanks to the road tankers while delivering gasoline to the station by the road tankers. These captured vapours are then transferred back to the Terminals.
Recovering the gasoline vapour /air mixture safely at the loading terminals while filling the road tanker by installing a specially designed automatic process unit. This allows gasoline vapours to be captured at the filling point. The recovered gasoline is estimated to be about 0.12% of the gasoline throughput.
Stage -II Gasoline vapour recovery system
This is the collection of gasoline vapour /air mixture escaping out of the vehicle fuel tanks while refueling at the forecourt dispenser island. This provision will help in having a vapour free environment at the dispenser islands and reduction in evaporation losses at the station.
Current status
The vapour recovery project commenced in mid 2006 and currently.
63 Emarat stations are Stage-I vapour recovery ready and roll outs are in progress.
42 Road tankers are equipped with Stage -I vapor recovery piping, fittings and safety devices.
Installation of vapour recovery units at two main gasoline storage & distribution terminals has been completed. One unit is in continuous operation since mid June 08 after extensive trial runs. The 2nd unit will be commissioned as Emarat rolls out vapour collection to all stations.
Stage-II vapour recovery: 2 pilot stations with different systems were installed and commissioned and are presently undergoing performance evaluation. On finalizing the selected system, Stage-II will be rolled out to all Emarat stations progressively with the aim of achieving completion by end 2009.
Emarat will also be introducing vapour recovery system in selected high volume Dealer-operated Stations in the near future and remaining Emarat stations will be brought under Stages I & II progressively by end 2009. Furthermore, all new refueling stations will have gasoline vapour recovery as a standard feature.
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© Press Release 2008
