Baton Rouge area - Environment

Ongoing effort to improve environmental performance

At ExxonMobil, we are committed to operational excellence which means we take environmental responsibility and reducing our energy use seriously. It is our policy to conduct our business in a manner that is compatible with the balanced environmental and economic needs of the communities in which we operate.

In order to stay competitive and meet ever-growing energy needs, ExxonMobil is  focused on operating more efficiently. In 2009, the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery received the ENERGY STAR Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The award recognizes organizations nationwide that adopt cost-effective, energy-efficient technologies and practices and better manage their energy costs. All of our Baton Rouge sites are investing to find energy savings, which will also help to reduce emissions.

Steam: a sign of care
Steam plumes visible along the North Baton Rouge skyline, especially on cool mornings, are testimony to our ongoing effort to improve environmental performance. The largest plume rises above the wet gas scrubber³ where water "scrubs" out dust-like particles, sulfur dioxide and ammonia. Steam also rises above cooling towers where water is cooled and recycled. This steam is a visual sign of ExxonMobil’s efforts to protect our environment.

Our relationship with the mighty Mississippi
Our docks provide product transportation to and from ports around the world. This important facility is equipped to protect the river. For example, a marine vapor recovery system picks up hydrocarbon vapors from loading vessels, directs them into the recovery unit and destroys them, which reduces ozone precursors. The docks also have oil spill recovery boats staffed by trained response teams.

We recognize Baton Rouge is growing, therefore its drinking water needs are growing. We have worked to expand the use of clarified river water to reduce the total amount of ground water withdrawal. In fact, we have reduced the use of groundwater by 600,000 gallons per day.

Investing in environmental protection

In October 2010, ExxonMobil Baton Rouge completed its commissioning of a new unit to produce ultra low sulfur diesel.  Together with another new unit at ExxonMobil's Baytown refinery, both units will enable ExxonMobil to increase the supply of ultra low sulfur diesel by over 3 million gallons a day from the refineries, and allow for reduced emissions from diesel consumption when used in modern engines.

Historically, our Baton Rouge Complex was one of the early leaders in installing the wet gas scrubber (1976) and the flare gas recovery system (1982), which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls the "hallmarks of pollution prevention for modern refineries."

We help understand and address the ozone problem
We are committed to helping the city, parish, and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) understand and address the ozone problem. In addition to significant, sustained volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions reductions over time, we have taken several steps to help solve the problem, including modifying operations to reduce emissions during Ozone Alerts and taking a leadership position in LDEQ/industry efforts to understand ozone formation.

ExxonMobil Baton Rouge has also taken a leadership role by piloting the HAWK infrared camera, a cutting edge tool designed to “see” hydrocarbon emissions invisible to the naked eye.  ExxonMobil was a leader in developing and field testing this technology, which is being used by the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Complex as well as the LDEQ as a surveillance tool.

Emission reduction efforts from ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge facilities along with other area efforts helped the Baton Rouge area attain all federal air quality standards for the first time ever in 2008, 2009 and 2010.