Refining
Refining Industry Vapor Control and Compliance
Refineries operate under some of the most demanding air quality and emissions rules in the industrial sector. Managing hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during maintenance, turnaround, and startup operations requires equipment that performs to permit standards and a crew that knows how to run it. Envent has been doing this work at refineries, chemical plants, and terminals across North America since 1992.
Envent deploys mobile vapor control systems, tank and pipeline degassing equipment, and temporary emission control units across refinery and terminal sites. Every system is configured to the specific vapor profile of your unit, whether that is a crude tank, a coker unit, an FCCU, or a process vessel going into a confined space entry.
Envent’s projects are run to EPA New Source Performance Standards (NSPS, 40 CFR Part 60) and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP, 40 CFR Part 63). Tank work follows American Petroleum Institute Standard 653 for inspection, repair, alteration, and reconstruction, and emissions quantification is referenced against EPA AP-42 Air Emissions Factors. If your project has specific permit or reporting requirements, the compliance page covers the standards Envent works to on every job.
WHY CHOOSE ENVENT FOR REFINERY VAPOR CONTROL?
For more than 30 years, Envent has worked on tank degassing, mobile vapor control, and water treatment at refineries and terminals across North America. Every job is run by technicians with direct experience in refinery environments, including sour crude tanks, FCCU shutdowns, and coker turnarounds.
When selecting a vapor control contractor, refinery project managers look at track record, safety performance, regulatory compliance, and mobilization capability. Envent brings a 0.0 TRIR, the largest mobile vapor control fleet (including thermal oxidizers) in North America, and full compliance reporting on every project.
What Envent's Refinery Vapor Control Services Include
Envent provides mobile vapor control, tank and pipeline degassing, scrubbers, and water treatment services to refineries, chemical plants, and terminals across North America. Every service is run by OQ-qualified technicians with site-specific safety procedures and full compliance documentation on every job.
Envent provides tank and vessel degassing, storage tank degassing, pipeline degassing, barge degassing, and thermal oxidizer services across refinery and terminal sites in North America. Every job is staffed with OQ-qualified technicians operating under site-specific safety procedures, with full compliance documentation produced at the close of every project. Envent has performed tank and pipeline degassing for major operators including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and ConocoPhillips across the Gulf Coast, California, and other regions.
Flareless turnaround support for FCCU shutdowns, coker turnarounds, CDU/VDU outages, and MSS events is a core part of Envent’s refinery work. Every project is planned directly with your turnaround team, covering vapor flow phasing, permit documentation, and emergency response procedures. Envent has performed refinery turnaround vapor control for major operators including Shell, Valero, Phillips 66, and Irving Oil across the Gulf Coast and beyond. Your project stays on schedule, within EPA permit limits, and without a recordable safety incident.
Envent deploys vapor scrubbers, liquid scrubber chemistry, carbon services and systems, blowers, air movers, and vacuum truck scrubbers for refineries, terminals, and chemical plants. Scrubber systems include the ESCRUB 2000 and ESCRUB 500 with VaporBite technology for H2S, VOCs, ammonia, and SOx control. Whether your facility is managing a sour service tank, a sulfur loading operation, or an unplanned process upset, Envent has the crew to handle it on-site. Full compliance documentation is provided on every deployment, for both planned maintenance and emergency response.
Mobile wastewater remediation, pipeline and tank hydrotest water treatment, and groundwater remediation are available across refinery and terminal sites throughout North America. Systems handle produced water, tank bottom water, and contaminated runoff on-site, treating water down to discharge requirements without transport. When your tank cleaning or turnaround generates water that cannot leave the site untreated, Envent deploys mobile water treatment equipment directly to your facility. This service can run alongside a degassing project or as a standalone operation, keeping your project on schedule and within your discharge permit requirements.
REFINERY VAPOR CONTROL SERVICES FAQS
What types of refinery units does Envent provide vapor control for?
Envent has worked on FCCUs, hydrocrackers, cokers, crude distillation units, vacuum distillation units, naphtha hydrotreaters, and various process vessels and storage tanks. The specific vapor profile, including hydrocarbon type, H2S concentration, temperature, and flow rate, determines the equipment configuration. Envent’s engineering team reviews those parameters before mobilization. Equipment and process details are available on the refinery turnaround services page.
Can Envent operate flareless on a refinery turnaround?
Yes. Envent regularly performs flareless turnarounds where flare use is restricted or where the facility wants to avoid flare loading. Thermal oxidizers are used in place of flaring, with continuous emissions monitoring to verify compliance throughout the project. The Port Arthur Refinery flareless turnaround is one documented example completed at a major Gulf Coast refinery.
How does Envent meet EPA BACT requirements on refinery projects?
Envent’s vapor control systems are built and operated to comply with EPA Best Available Control Technology (BACT) standards. Each project includes documentation of destruction efficiency, operating temperatures, and emissions outputs. Envent’s compliance team can work directly with your environmental department to support permit conditions and regulatory reporting. If your project has specific regulatory reporting requirements, the compliance page covers the standards Envent works to on every job.
What safety protocols does Envent follow for confined space entries at refineries?
All confined space entries follow OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 permit-required confined space procedures. This includes atmospheric testing for oxygen, combustible gases, and toxic vapors, along with lockout/tagout coordination and on-site rescue planning. Envent’s safety record and 0.0 TRIR reflect consistent application of these protocols across thousands of site hours.
How quickly can Envent mobilize to a refinery?
Envent operates the largest mobile fleet of thermal oxidizers and vapor control systems in North America, with equipment staged across the Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana, California, Midwest, and other regions. Mobilization time depends on location and equipment requirements. Call 888-997-9465 for availability and urgent requests. Completed project examples across regions are on the our work page.
Can Envent handle H2S service on sour crude tanks and process vessels?
Envent regularly handles sour service operations involving elevated H2S concentrations. Thermal oxidizers convert H2S to SO2 at high destruction efficiency, and scrubber systems can be added for SO2 control where required by permit. Your environmental team should confirm the applicable emission limits for the specific unit and location before mobilization. Scrubber configurations for sour service are on the scrubbers and odor control page.
Does Envent provide mobile water treatment for refinery applications?
Yes. Refinery tank cleaning operations often generate large volumes of oily water and tank bottoms that require on-site treatment before discharge or disposal. Envent’s mobile water treatment service handles produced water, tank bottom water, and contaminated process water on-site, avoiding the cost and risk of hauling contaminated water off-site. This service can be deployed alongside a degassing project or as a standalone operation.
What is OQ qualification and why does it matter for refinery vapor control?
Operator Qualification (OQ) is a pipeline and industrial safety training and assessment standard required under 49 CFR Part 192 and 195 for certain covered tasks. Envent’s field technicians are OQ-qualified, meaning they have been assessed as competent to perform specific covered tasks. This is a firm requirement at many refinery facilities, particularly those with midstream-connected infrastructure. Crew qualifications and certifications are on the about us page.
Has Envent worked at refineries in Texas, Louisiana, and California?
Yes. Envent has an active service history across the Texas Gulf Coast, the Lake Charles and Baton Rouge refining corridors in Louisiana, and multiple California facilities operating under CARB and local air district requirements. Work for clients including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, Valero, Marathon, and Phillips 66 has been performed across these regions. Completed projects across all three regions are on the our work page.
How does Envent coordinate with a refinery's turnaround management team?
Envent assigns a project manager to each turnaround who works directly with the refinery’s turnaround planner, operations supervisor, and safety lead. Pre-job planning covers equipment placement, vapor flow phasing, permit documentation, emergency response procedures, and communication protocols. Envent’s field crew then operates under the site’s work authorization and safety management system. Request a quote to begin project planning.
Get Qualified Vapor Control on Your Next Refinery Project
Envent has worked at refineries, chemical plants, and terminals across North America for over 30 years. Every project is staffed with OQ-qualified technicians and EPA-compliant equipment.
