PTQ Q3 2026 Issue

recovered water be used instead of freshwater in another application, either as is or with some treatment? • Assess steam balances and condensate recovery : What is the steam being used for – reboiler, reducing smoke from flares, process stripping? How much condensate is being recovered, and can it be increased? Are there improve- ments in control tuning or temporary piping solutions that could improve recovery or flexibility? • Review cooling water chemistry : Is the cooling water chemistry appropriate for the water make-up quality the refinery demands? Are the cooling towers operating to the chemistry limit, or are there uncontrolled blowdowns? • Examine make-up water quality and treatment perfor- mance : Is the make-up water quality such that treatments such as softeners or demineraliser regeneration parameters maximise run length and reduce rinse cycles? It is critical that proper water use audits include field observations and interviews with site operators, mainte- nance staff, and water treatment providers. Also critical to conducting a successful audit is having the audit con- ducted or led by an experienced subject matter expert who can understand how and why the water is being used and thus identify potential areas for improved use or savings in water consumption. The use of an experienced and knowledgeable sub - ject matter expert ensures credibility and organisational buy-in from those tasked with implementing any actions or changes in water usage. They also provide mentoring and education to the rank and file, inspiring and enabling them to recognise and optimise water usage and take the initiative to improve it on their own. In this way, the organ- isational culture shifts, with water no longer viewed as a utility issue but as part of operational excellence, owned by the same people responsible for reliability, performance, and cost control. Water use reduction programme and strategy Following the audit, a structured water use reduction programme should be developed. This programme starts with benchmarking water usage against industry norms. Is water or steam usage excessive, and why? Is the percent - age of condensate consistent with industry norms? If not, why? As part of this process, quick operational fixes can be identified and acted upon. Brainstorming of both capital and non-capital reduction measures should be organised and conducted. As with the water use audit, representatives from all parts of the organ- isation, including management, technical, operations, and maintenance staff, need to be engaged in this process. The brainstorming should start by identifying water reduction measures that do and do not involve capital investment. Some of the most meaningful water reduc- tions come from procedural improvements rather than new equipment. A common example is filter backwashing. Many facilities rely on fixed schedules to clean filters: simple, reli - able, and familiar. However, it often results in unnecessary backwashing, consuming water even when the system does not require it. By shifting to condition-based backwashing, using

indicators such as differential pressure, operations teams can maintain performance and protect water quality while dramatically reducing waste. When paired with optimised flow rates, these adjustments can deliver significant annual reductions without installing new infrastructure. For leadership, the lesson is straightforward: disciplined operations can generate returns comparable to large pro- jects, but with far lower risk and faster payback. These kinds of changes help build momentum internally as early wins matter. When operators see that small procedural changes make a real impact, it builds confidence and makes the next steps easier. The best improvements happen when the people who run the units every day work side by side with those who maintain and optimise them. Short- or long-term projects or measures should be iden - tified during the brainstorming sessions and later priori - tised based on: • Cost-benefit ratio : How much water is being reduced, and what are the capital and operating costs associated with this reduction? • Operational impact : What is the operational impact of these water savings? Does it allow for additional through- put, improved product slate or quality? • Feasibility with available funding : Is the investment fea- sible based on its cost and competing budgetary needs of the refinery or organisation? It should be recognised that an effective and sustainable water use reduction programme and strategy is an ever- green process. While a comprehensive water use audit is essential for developing an effective water use reduction programme, it is only a snapshot in time. As part of an effective and sustainable water use programme, refiners must implement ongoing monitoring and periodic compre- hensive audits that account for seasonal changes in water make-up quality and operational demands. Cross-functional collaboration The development and execution of an effective and sus - tainable water strategy is never owned by one group. Instead, it is a concerted effort between the people who run the units every day and those who maintain and optimise them, working side by side. The most durable savings in water consumption are realised when water becomes part of daily operational thinking rather than by implementing the newest technology. Alignment and commitment are essential. Even the best technical solutions fail without organisational alignment. Leadership commitment is necessary, but day-to-day results depend on the decisions made by operators, engi- neers, and supervisors, using clear priorities, transparency, and consistent performance tracking that build trust and reinforce accountability. In a properly developed and executed water strategy, water usage improvement becomes a systems challenge solved through cross-functional collaboration, where operations, technical, engineering, and maintenance work toward the same outcome. Each action may seem minor on its own, but together they can create a step change in performance. Increased recovery reduces make-up water

PTQ Q3 2026