Waste Management
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Waste Management
Apr 21, 2021
Management of hazardous and non-hazardous waste
Waste generation and management
The integral management of waste is part of the actions that are carried out from operational excellence to leverage the Environmental Management Strategy and the Circular Economy Model for the Ecopetrol Group; and it is developed in strict compliance with the national regulatory framework and internal procedures of ECOPETROL S.A.
This management is materialized through the search and identification of innovative treatment alternatives and the incorporation of circular initiatives, to prevent or reduce the generation of waste or increase its use in line with the Circular Economy model for the Ecopetrol Group.
All waste management in ECOPETROL is available in the SAP-WA SIGAR-Waste computer tool, the digital platform allows monitoring the amounts generated by each waste stream, having reports of generation indicators, as well as managing the documentation that supports legal management; It is also sought with the information on waste management available in the tool, to have data to evaluate opportunities for improvement and promote the circular economy.
The generation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste in 2020 was 298,135 tons, which represented a decrease of 43% compared to what was generated in 2019 (see table 103) due to the execution of new drilling projects in the Central and Orinoquia regions, and activities of new civil works, dismantling and maintenance at the Barrancabermeja refinery and production fields.
Solid waste generation (tons)
|
Year |
Non-hazardous waste |
Dangerous wastes |
Total |
|
2015 |
29.669,77 |
117.150,51 |
146.820,28 |
|
2016 |
49.165,04 |
49.055,62 |
98.220,66 |
|
2017 |
103.627,22 |
35.185,76 |
138.812,98 |
|
2018 |
178.294,26 |
111.737,38 |
290.031,65 |
|
2019 |
211.506,61 |
319.442,65 |
530.948,80 |
|
2020 |
157.700.91 |
140.434,13 |
298.135.04 |
Source: Ecopetrol, HSE Vicepresidency
Note: the data is extracted from the SAP-Waste Management (SAP-WA) tool for this period.
In 2020, it was identified that the operating process with the highest generation of non-hazardous waste was refining, followed by drilling and production. Being the residues such as: rubble, clarification sludge from the water purification treatment, water-based drilling cuts, those with the greatest contributions to the quantities; It is important to bear in mind that in fields such as Rubiales, the use of drilling cuts is authorized from an environmental instrument to be reused after their stabilization and mixed with excavation material in civil works and geotechnics, thus taking advantage of about 7.5% of the total of drilling cuts generated in the country; on the other hand, metal scrap constitutes about 95% of the total recycled waste.
Non-hazardous solid waste management (kg)
|
Management Type |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 | 2020 |
|
Reuse |
25.843 |
41.938 |
42.221 |
94.454.413 |
163.913.132 | 3.171.017 |
|
Recycling |
8.301.319 |
24.124.616 |
26.454.329 |
34.683.019 |
29.125.135 | 17.861.577 |
|
Composting |
483.520 |
3.510.539 |
1.508.474 |
2.981.014 |
8.281.938.7 | 10.830.532 |
|
Recovery |
0 |
2.095 |
536.151 |
3.000.000 |
0 | 0 |
|
Incineration |
705.879 |
2.797.069 |
755.149 |
102.212 |
92.465 | 45.562 |
|
Others* |
20.153.205 |
18.688.786 |
74.330.895 |
43.073.608 |
10.093.497 | 125.792.222 |
|
Total |
29.669.766 |
178.294.266 |
211.506.158 |
462.753.400 |
211.506.158 | 157.700.910 |
Source: Ecopetrol, HSE Vicepresidency
* Others include: Escombrera, Sanitary Landfill, vermiculture, etc.
With respect to hazardous waste, the highest generation was in the operational production process, followed by refining; 74% of the hazardous waste generated is oily sludge that was subjected to bioremediation treatment, about 1.85% of the waste was taken to incineration and 21.5% sent to physical and thermal treatments such as co-processing and final disposal in cell security.
In 2020, the national targets for the reduction and management of RESPEL for the hydrocarbon sector were established together with Minambiente, for the specific case of oily sludge belonging to stream Y9, the reduction target establishes for the period 2020-2022, to reduce to 2022, the generation rate at 0.98 kg of oily sludge (Y9) / barrels of hydrocarbons produced; while the exploitation goal indicates By 2022, increase the exploitation rate to 0.08 tons of oily sludge (Y9) used / tons of oily sludge (Y9) generated; To meet these goals, a work plan was established led by the excellence management of the vice-presidency of production with which it is intended to reach all the activities for this purpose.
Hazardous solid waste management (kg)*
|
Management type |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Reuse |
6.212 |
45.119 |
4.323 |
11.553 |
9.626 |
780.712 |
|
Recycling |
1.937 |
13.640 |
5.443 |
61.049 |
82.666 |
3.103.009 |
|
Regeneration |
159.305 |
59.890 |
1.568 |
62.072 |
- |
- |
|
Incineration |
4.214.684 |
2.567.764 |
1.643.832 |
6.074.896 |
5.754.857 |
2.599.721 |
|
Bioremediation |
33.419.409 |
31.579.204 |
11.652.568 |
88.885.827 |
307.583.429 |
103.740.906 |
|
Others** |
79.348.958 |
14.789.999 |
21.878.023 |
16.641.992 |
6.012.070 |
30.209.786 |
|
Total |
117.150.505 |
49.055.616 |
35.185.757 |
111.737.389 |
319.442.648 |
140.434.134 |
Source: Ecopetrol, HSE Vice Presidency
* The data reported here correspond to the internal management carried out by Ecopetrol as a generator and through third parties for the management of hazardous waste, following the provisions of Decree 4741 of 2005.
** Others include: Security Cell, co-processing, physical and stabilization treatments, etc.
Percentage of solid waste used and recycling rate
Taking into account the types of related management such as reuse, recycling, and regeneration, the percentage of use of waste (hazardous and non-hazardous) for 2020 was 12%, contributed mostly by the use of drilling cuts that were carries out in Rubiales field and the recycling of metal scrap from goods not required by the operation and the composting of wood and vegetable waste.
In this same period, the recycling rate was 7.03%, corresponding to waste that is reintroduced into third-party production processes, such as metal scrap, paper and cardboard, glass and plastic. During 2020, circular initiatives for waste management were identified and agreements were signed for the use of campaigns, such as PLASTITON, from Esenttia with the Cartagena refinery, which seeks to increase the use of plastic and its incorporation into the processes of the company.
Regarding the use of hazardous waste and taking into account that oily waste (or sludge) is one of the main hazardous waste generated, in 2020 progress was made on the investigation of the agreement signed in 2019 with the Universidad Industrial de Santander - UIS , to develop an investigation aimed at determining the technical and economic feasibility of transforming these wastes into cold product (s), to be applied to the road network with low traffic volumes; looking for options for the use of this waste within the framework of the circular economy model.
Amount of drilling waste (drilling muds and cuts) treated and / or disposed
The amounts generated of this waste are reported below according to the type of management, depending on the fluid used in drilling activities.
Total produced amount of drilling mud and cuttings (in tons) using an oil-based drilling fluid, by disposal method
|
Management type |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Reinjection |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
|
Recycling |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
|
Land disposal at controlled sites |
86.659 |
35.232 |
17.809 |
68.325 |
- |
. |
|
Disponsal on the high seas |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
|
Others* (Explain) |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
|
Total Drilling Waste (Tons) |
86.659 |
35.232 |
17.809 |
68.325 |
- |
- |
Source: Ecopetrol, HSE Vice Presidency
Note: By 2020, no oil-based drilling fluids were used in drilling activities.
Total produced amount of drilling mud and cuttings (in tons) using a water-based drilling fluid, by disposal method
|
Management Type |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Reinjection |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
|
Recycling |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
163.861 |
3.158 |
|
Land disposal at controlled sites |
10.789 |
0 |
0 |
718 |
407.050 |
38.641 |
|
Disposal on the high seas |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
|
Others* (Internally treated) |
N.A |
N.A |
N.A |
783 |
- |
- |
|
Total Drilling Waste (Tons) |
10.789 |
0 |
0 |
1.501 |
570.911 |
41.800 |
Source: Ecopetrol, HSE Vice Presidency
During 2020 there was a decrease in the generation of water-based drilling cuts due to the abnormality presented in the activities, which forced the temporary suspension of some drilling campaign projects that were in maturity and intended to start activities from the second semester 2020.
In 2021, it seeks to establish specific objectives that lead to waste use goals, supported by the development and execution of circular initiatives and compliance with the Sustainability strategy as part of the roadmap, including short, medium and long term, as well as the structuring of action plans; It also seeks to give continuity to the work plan established together with the Ministry of the Environment for the HC sector in 2020, for the reduction in the generation of waste category Y9 Oily sludge and its use.
