Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning has been a challenging and daunting task for years. To simplify the processes used, we have broken down the three common methods below. Ti is a very involving process that includes the removal of sludge at the bottom of the storage chamber, treating the sludge to separate it and lastly is washing the receptacle. Some companies still use the conventional methods while some have advanced to the new developed methods for efficiency and time saving.
In the conventional method, the sludge is removed from storage chamber's bottom, a process that can take between 90 to 120 days. This is done with experienced personnel and machines and with more operators, the stage can take less like 2 to 3 months. And when using receptacle cleaning machines that are remotely operated will take double the time as compared to human operators.
The removed sludge is then treated in the second step. It is separated into oil, solid wastes and water. The process is done right in the storage chamber before pumping it out of system.
The third stage is to wash the tank since the sludge has been removed. By the use of high pressure cleaners, the floor and walls of storage chamber are thoroughly cleaned and de-rusted by use of sand blasting. It can take around 50 days if one team is working on it or about 30 days for two teams working simultaneously. To clean the external wall by sand blasting, the operators will take another 30 to 60 days based on the number of teams working on it. Another more efficient alternative which is more expensive is to use ultra-high pressure cleaning which combines de-rusting and de-painting in one process.
There is a one step cleaning method that has been developed and used by some companies. In this process, diesel is pumped through nozzles in a jet fixed on the receptacle's roof. This washes the sludge dissolving it after which the sludge/diesel mixture is pumped out of the storage chamber.
Even though this method is efficient and faster, some sludge still remains at the bottom of the storage chamber and requires time to dissolve. This may takes around 4 months to dissolve for a 100,000KL tank. It also requires a temporary storage tank to handle the diesel/sludge mixture pumped out of the chamber in order to clean the receptacle.
A two step washing technology is also in use. This is an advanced method and is very different from the first two. It cleans oil tanks in a matter of weeks as compared to the 4 months for the other processes. The first step involves the use of submerged rotary jet mixer to dissolve the sludge into the oil solutions, a process called re-suspension. Around 90% of the hydrocarbons can be recovered using this process. This only takes 10 days, 7 days for equipment installation and 3 days for cleaning.
This is followed by removing the remaining 10% sludge that is then very soft in comparison to the hard crust in the other methods. Given the violent mixing it has undergone, the sludge will not be a hard task to remove. This method of Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning is the most efficient and very time saving comparing 6 months for other methods and 10 days it uses.
In the conventional method, the sludge is removed from storage chamber's bottom, a process that can take between 90 to 120 days. This is done with experienced personnel and machines and with more operators, the stage can take less like 2 to 3 months. And when using receptacle cleaning machines that are remotely operated will take double the time as compared to human operators.
The removed sludge is then treated in the second step. It is separated into oil, solid wastes and water. The process is done right in the storage chamber before pumping it out of system.
The third stage is to wash the tank since the sludge has been removed. By the use of high pressure cleaners, the floor and walls of storage chamber are thoroughly cleaned and de-rusted by use of sand blasting. It can take around 50 days if one team is working on it or about 30 days for two teams working simultaneously. To clean the external wall by sand blasting, the operators will take another 30 to 60 days based on the number of teams working on it. Another more efficient alternative which is more expensive is to use ultra-high pressure cleaning which combines de-rusting and de-painting in one process.
There is a one step cleaning method that has been developed and used by some companies. In this process, diesel is pumped through nozzles in a jet fixed on the receptacle's roof. This washes the sludge dissolving it after which the sludge/diesel mixture is pumped out of the storage chamber.
Even though this method is efficient and faster, some sludge still remains at the bottom of the storage chamber and requires time to dissolve. This may takes around 4 months to dissolve for a 100,000KL tank. It also requires a temporary storage tank to handle the diesel/sludge mixture pumped out of the chamber in order to clean the receptacle.
A two step washing technology is also in use. This is an advanced method and is very different from the first two. It cleans oil tanks in a matter of weeks as compared to the 4 months for the other processes. The first step involves the use of submerged rotary jet mixer to dissolve the sludge into the oil solutions, a process called re-suspension. Around 90% of the hydrocarbons can be recovered using this process. This only takes 10 days, 7 days for equipment installation and 3 days for cleaning.
This is followed by removing the remaining 10% sludge that is then very soft in comparison to the hard crust in the other methods. Given the violent mixing it has undergone, the sludge will not be a hard task to remove. This method of Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning is the most efficient and very time saving comparing 6 months for other methods and 10 days it uses.
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