Shell marks UN World Water Day
MANILA, Philippines - Shell seeks to continuously address energy challenges while mitigating environmental impact. It does so primarily by delivering smarter products and cleaner energy, smarter infrastructure, promoting sustainable mobility and by developing new energy sources such as cleaner-burning natural gas.
Shell is also working to better manage its water use globally. For example, at major facilities in water-scarce areas, Shell is developing water management plans that include how operations will minimize water use and even increase water supplies through recycling.
The celebration of United Nations’ World Water Day this year is opportune for Shell in promoting its advocacy to raise awareness on the linkages between the world’s water and energy systems and the need for integrated solutions.
In the Philippines, one of the ways Shell reduces the use of water in its depots is through the product-to-product (P2P) pumping method. This eliminates the use of water in the process of delivering petroleum products to the depot tanks. In the P2P method, a sight glass is built into the pipeline to enable personnel to see the type of product that is in the pipeline. The process promotes efficiency while eliminating the need for volumes of water in pushing and cleaning the cargo line. In some Shell depots, use of water pushing is eliminated as fuel products are left in the cargo line instead of water.
Sea water is utilized in lavatories at the Malampaya Gas Project facilities that Shell operates, specifically in the Shallow Water Platform (SWP), with fresh water being used only for bathing and drinking. Water consumption is tightly monitored in all other locations of operations—such as the Batangas Supply Base and Onshore Gas Platform—and any highly irregular increase in usage is reported immediately to the facility manager. Facilities are actively monitored for water leaks and immediately repaired.
At the pioneering “green†Shell retail station in Nuvali, Laguna, rainwater is collected and used for toilet flushing. Other simple but meaningful measures include the use of an innovative aeration tap faucet which prevents unnecessary splashing, and dual flush toilets that enables users to use only the amount of water they need.
The Nuvali Shell station showcases other environment-friendly features including solar-powered LED perimeter lightings, revolutionary air-cleaning wall paint, and LED lighting with infrared motion sensor that adjusts from dim to full power when customers are detected.
Shell is organizing a web chat on the role of natural gas in Asia, led by Roger Bounds, vice president of Shell’s global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) business, with a team of Shell experts on April 17. For information, visit www.shelldialogues.com/gasinasia.
