Gulf Coast Company Meets Discharge Rules

Retif Oil & Fuel Inc. is a petroleum specialty products distributor that offers customers a full range of services, from commercial and retail deliveries to on- and off-site refueling services. The company has served the greater New Orleans area through three facilities since 1965 and has a commitment to serve an expanded market throughout the entire Gulf Coast.

The Problem

At its Harvey, La., site, the company annually processes 6 million gal of petroleum, transferring it from 8,000-gal tanks to a variety of smaller containers that are then resold. When operators clean and service the equipment used in this process, an oil/water mix runs off and is collected in a wastewater containment area. Through a routine inspection, Retif Oil & Fuel learned that this wastewater contained more oil than state guidelines allow. Potentially, they could have faced costly penalties, expensive wastewater treatment and, ultimately, the loss of required permits if the wastewater was not brought into compliance. Retif also had a reputation of quality and environmental responsibility to preserve. The company immediately sought a solution.

Oil Recovery Solution

Retif installed a Model 6V Brill oil recovery system to reduce the amount of oil in its wastewater. President Kenny Retif said since installing the oil skimmer, the company has been in 100% compliance with state guidelines. The amount of oil in the wastewater has been reduced by about 99%, Retif said.

“We did a pretty good job on our discharge, but Model 6V has helped us to comply, and we’ve had no issues whatsoever since installing it,” Retif said.

In a unique anti-clogging design, the Model 6V has a polyurethane tube that attracts and collects the waste oil as it floats on top of wastewater. The tube passes through a scraper system to remove the oil, which flows by gravity into a containment drum.

Retif said because the company hits compliance thresholds each month on the first test, it no longer has to make adjustments and retest weekly.

“It’s not just the $60 we save each time we don’t have to test, but it is so much more efficient. It’s so easy, we even had our own people install it,” Retif said.

In fact, Retif is installing an oil skimmer at each of its other two Louisiana facilities.

The Model 6V operates independently and, if needed, can run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its internal components are made of high-strength steel and bronze for durability. External parts are made from abrasive-resistant ceramic. The machine has a lifespan of more than 30 years.

Jim Petrucci can be reached at [email protected] or 800.200.4603.