Using crude oil tankers may seem easy, wait until the times comes to do the cleaning. There however are several procedures of Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning that have been used over the years and new improved methods that employed by some contractors. This process involves the removal of bottom sludge, separating it into oil and solid matter and the actual receptacle washing.
To start with the conventional methods, the sludge is manually removed from the tank bottom. This is done by trained personnel taking between three (3) to four (4) months. It involves both man and machines to complete the tedious process. When using solely remote operated machines, the process may take even double the time.
The second step in the conventional method is to treat the oil sludge. This involves separating the sludge into three components; recovered oil, solids and waste water. This is done inside the receptacle.
After removing and separating the sludge the tank will then be washed in the third stage. It involves the use of high pressure cleaners that washes the walls, roof and floors of the storage chamber. This process includes de-rusting by the use of sand blasting and may take between 40 to 60days. For two teams working concurrently, this may take around 30 days to complete. The external walls of the storage chamber also require another thirty (30) to sixty (60) days to de-ruts and de-paint. However if ultra-high pressure cleaner is used, this process can take very few days though it is more expensive.
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 more efficient than the conventional one, some sludge will still remain solid and stuck to the tank base. This may take up to four months to dissolve then the mixture is pumped out into another tank. This means that an extra receptacle is required to store the mixture before it I separated.
Other than these methods, there is a two step procedure. It is quite advanced and cleans tanks in a matter of weeks compared to the months it takes to clean with the other methods. In the first step, a submerged rotary jet mixer violently and thoroughly mixes the sludge dissolving it into a suspended mixture, a process referred to as re-suspension. Here, about 90% of the oil is recovered for recycling and use. This only requires 7 days to set up the machine and 3 days to do the mixing.
The second stage involves removing the remaining 10% sludge if the client requires. Since the mixing was so thorough, this residual sludge is soft and easily to remove as compared to the other methods. Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning is not an easy job but it eventually has to be done in spite of the time and money it takes to perform it.
To start with the conventional methods, the sludge is manually removed from the tank bottom. This is done by trained personnel taking between three (3) to four (4) months. It involves both man and machines to complete the tedious process. When using solely remote operated machines, the process may take even double the time.
The second step in the conventional method is to treat the oil sludge. This involves separating the sludge into three components; recovered oil, solids and waste water. This is done inside the receptacle.
After removing and separating the sludge the tank will then be washed in the third stage. It involves the use of high pressure cleaners that washes the walls, roof and floors of the storage chamber. This process includes de-rusting by the use of sand blasting and may take between 40 to 60days. For two teams working concurrently, this may take around 30 days to complete. The external walls of the storage chamber also require another thirty (30) to sixty (60) days to de-ruts and de-paint. However if ultra-high pressure cleaner is used, this process can take very few days though it is more expensive.
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 more efficient than the conventional one, some sludge will still remain solid and stuck to the tank base. This may take up to four months to dissolve then the mixture is pumped out into another tank. This means that an extra receptacle is required to store the mixture before it I separated.
Other than these methods, there is a two step procedure. It is quite advanced and cleans tanks in a matter of weeks compared to the months it takes to clean with the other methods. In the first step, a submerged rotary jet mixer violently and thoroughly mixes the sludge dissolving it into a suspended mixture, a process referred to as re-suspension. Here, about 90% of the oil is recovered for recycling and use. This only requires 7 days to set up the machine and 3 days to do the mixing.
The second stage involves removing the remaining 10% sludge if the client requires. Since the mixing was so thorough, this residual sludge is soft and easily to remove as compared to the other methods. Crude Oil Storage Tank Cleaning is not an easy job but it eventually has to be done in spite of the time and money it takes to perform it.
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