Valero Energy Limited - Pembroke Refinery, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, SA71 5SJ
We’ve received an application to vary an environmental permit from Valero Energy Limited
Substantial variation to an environmental permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
Application number: PAN-023559 (EPR/YP3930EX/V008)
Regulated facility type: Installation – Schedule 1 Activity Section 1.2 A(1)(d) – Refining mineral oils
Regulated facility location: Pembroke Refinery Pembroke Pembrokeshire SA71 5SJ
Valero Energy Limited have applied for derogation under Article 15 (4) of the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010) on the requirements to meet the best available technique (BAT) conclusion 52 (BAT 52) from the BAT reference document (BRef) for refining of mineral oil and gas published under Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on industrial emissions, published 9 October 2014.
BAT 52 is to prevent or reduce VOC emissions to air from loading and unloading operations of volatile liquid hydrocarbon compounds using one or a combination of the techniques below to achieve a recovery rate of at least 95%:
(i) Condensation
(ii) Absorption
(iii) Adsorption
(iv) Membrane separation
(v) Hybrid System given
In addition to the techniques in BAT 52. Operators are required to achieve the following emission limit of 0.15-10 mg/m3 for NMVOC and/or 1mg/m3 (as set out in table 16 of the BAT conclusions for refining of mineral oil and gas).
Full details of the BAT 52. can be found the BAT conclusion (here) or the BRef (here).
A derogation of BAT 52 was granted for the site in 2018 and applies until December 2026. This variation seeks to extend the derogation deadline until 2040 on the basis of a cost benefit analysis of upgrading the facility, to meet the requirements of BAT 52. The analysis considers the proportionality of the gains from the reduction of Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) to the emission levels set out in the BAT.
The application contains a description of how the proposed changes affect the installation; the materials, substances and energy it will use and generate; the conditions of its site; the source, nature and quantity of its foreseeable emissions and their potential impact, the proposed techniques for preventing, reducing, and monitoring its emissions and preventing and recovering waste; and an outline of the main alternatives, if any, are considered.
You can see the application documents free of charge, from our online public register. Or you can request a copy of the information from us. This may take time to process and there could be a charge.
If you have any comments send these by 29 May 2024
Email: permittingconsultations@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
Or write to:
Permitting Service
Natural Resources Wales
Cambria House
29 Newport Road
Cardiff
CF24 0TP
We must decide whether to grant or refuse the application. If we grant it, we must decide what conditions to include in the permit. You can find information about how we make decisions in our Public Participation Statement.