How To Clean A Tank Sludge

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Lorraine Merritt
3 years ago
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1 Presentation on Tank Cleaning & Profitable Recovery of Hydrocarbons from Tank Sludges

2 Why Clean Tanks And Recover Hydrocarbons?

3 Previous Clients Country / Client Tanks Sludge Recovery Argentina 2x225K bbl 60K bbl 60K bbl/ 100% Client: Oil Tanking Completion at 2-3 weeks per tank. Grand Bahamas 5x750K bbl K bbl 80K bbl/ % Client: South Riding Pt. Holdings Completion at approximately 3 weeks per tank. Nigeria 1x55K bbl K bbl 494 bbl/ % Client: Shell Completion at 1 week. Note: 10 Feet of Sludge and 40cm of oil / 70% sand and silt

Grand Bahamas 5x750K bbl K bbl 80K bbl/ % Client: South Riding Pt.

4 The Recovery Results: Recovered Oil Reference: Argentina Tanks 450,000 bbl - 60,000 bbl recovered Legend: Tanks - 1& 2 / Recovered Oil 3 Note: The percentage of recovery is affected by the fact the some tanks may contain less sludge than another, therefore affecting the overall recovery percentage. In this case, an estimated 100% of the sludge was recovered and converted back into 100% revenue.

fact the some tanks may contain less sludge than another, therefore affecting the overall recovery

5 The Recovery Results: Recovered Oil Reference: Grand Bahamas 1 2 Tanks 3.75M bbl - 80,000 bbl recovered Legend: Tanks - 1 (a.k.a. 5 tanks) / Recovered Oil 2 Note: This is an example where our infrared shooting, and selective cleaning of the tanks would have maximized the recoverable oil. As an effective maintenance program, we can shoot tanks and establish a maintenance and cleaning schedule to optimize the efficiency of your tank operations. Tanks in this case may have contained little to no sludge or contained sizeable percentages of sand and silt lowering the overall percentage of recoverable stock.

shooting, and selective cleaning of the tanks would have maximized the recoverable oil.

6 The Recovery Results: Recovered Oil Reference: Nigeria 1 2 Tank 55,000 bbl bbl recovered Legend: Tank - 1 / Recovered Oil 2 Note: The percentage of recoverable oil is directly affected by unknown compositions of sludge, even after shooting a tank, therefore affecting the overall recovery percentage. In this case, there existed a tremendous amount of sand and silt in the tank, drastically reducing the amount of recoverable stock. Nonetheless, stock is recovered and a further benefit is realized by removal of the sand and silt from your process, which accelerates wear on other equipment in your process.

In this case, there existed a tremendous amount of sand and silt in the tank, drastically reducing the amount of recoverable stock.

7 Shooting Your Tanks Infra red Camera Oil Sludge Natural Gas

8 Identifying Potential Problems Hotspots

9 Why Clean Tanks and Recover Hydrocarbons? Minimize the amount of waste sent to disposal facilities Only solids should be sent Water can be recovered via in situ treatment Hydrocarbons recovered can be hugely profitable! Sludge occupies expensive tank and pond storage space You can reduce recirculation into your plant Stored sludge is more expensive to treat later Environmental protection

recovered via in situ treatment Hydrocarbons recovered can be hugely profitable!

10 Tank Residue and Oily Sludge

11 Your Current Scenario Oily sludge is stored in tank bottoms It is treated on an ad hoc basis, only when necessary and using conventional methods There are possible breaches of environmental regulations It is seen as a nuisance and a cost to treat; in fact, it is an unexploited valuable resource, a profit centre we can help you harvest Plenty of recoverable hydrocarbons and water are also being sent to disposal facilities, costing you a lot of money every month Large amounts of hydrocarbons remain unexploited!

fact, it is an unexploited valuable resource, a profit centre we can help you harvest Plenty of recoverable hydrocarbons and

12 Samples: Waste Products after Tests, Still Showing Lots of Hydrocarbons!

13 Our Methodology Using, wherever possible, existing valve assemblies, specially designed stingers are inserted into the tank Low-pressure, high-volume pumps are connected to the stinger assemblies and are used to jet our blended chemicals through the stingers to create a vortex within the tank This revolving vortex of chemical and tank sludge ensures complete contact with the chemical and blend media and effectively removes accumulated sludge from the wall of the tank, roof drains, and leg assemblies (continued)

stingers to create a vortex within the tank This revolving vortex of chemical and tank sludge ensures complete contact with the

14 In most cases, the process also serves to de-gas the tank, making possible immediate entry once the process is complete After a typical treatment, all organic material in the tank bottom will be transformed into a stable emulsion with trace solids and minimal water The treated tank bottom is now ready for pump-out / mobilization for recovery and sale of newly recovered oil Most inorganic solids contained in the tank bottom will remain inside the tank. The action of the vortex created by our process forces these inorganic solids into the center of the tank, making possible their removal via conventional methods

for pump-out / mobilization for recovery and sale of newly recovered oil Most inorganic solids contained in the tank bottom will remain inside the tank.

15 Installing the Vortex System

16 Main Equipment Supplied by Us: Vortex System Fifteen Different Types of Chemicals Chemical Dosing Pumps Separation Equipment Solids Skip Test Equipment

17 Conventional Tank Cleaning Send in crew with breathing apparatus (safety issues) Cut hole in tank for people and equipment Use drag line to help scrape sludge out Dump sludge in holding tank or pond and try and recover something! The tank is taken off service the entire time Repair hole in tank Long timeframe of months to 1 year to clean each tank Expensive: to clean tank to shut down tank

18 Vortex Jet Cleaning System Tank Cleaning in Progress while Still in Production 90% of Sludge Consists of Valuable, Recoverable Oil Reduce Tank Downtime Reduce Safety Issues Associated with Cleaning Save Money & Make Money

Valuable, Recoverable Oil Reduce Tank Downtime Reduce

19 Advantages of The Vortex System Conventional Cleaning Shut Down Tank Months to 1 Year Little Recovery Safety Issues High Cost You Lose Money NO ADVANTAGE Vortex Jet Cleaning Tank in Production during Cleaning Cleaned in Days Up to 90% Recovery of Hydrocarbons Man-less Entry Lower Cost You Actually Make Money BIG ADVANTAGE

Jet Cleaning Tank in Production during Cleaning Cleaned in 15-30 Days Up to 90%

20 Tank Sludge Treatment Yields Free Oil - removed to export tanks Emulsions - broken down to free oil, water, solids, and treated to extinction Free Water - removed for further treatment in wastewater treatment plant Solids - disposed at approved facilities

to extinction Free Water - removed for further treatment in

21 Financial Considerations Pricing Mechanisms: Initial Tank Survey using Infrared Photography Sludge Breakdown: US Dollar Cost per Tank Size Recovered Oil: US Dollars per m 3 Rebate System Implemented Technical Risks Some Sludge is More Difficult to Treat than Others

22 Work Flow upon Letter of Award Review of Site Facilities and Data Collection outstanding contractual, performance and warranty issues equipment and associated equipment specifications feed specifications zone restrictions Feed Samples Screening Exercise to collect feed samples from various feed sources Execution of Work recovery of hydrocarbons to export quality solids and water for treatment and disposal

23 If we could show you a way to clean your tanks by which you made money, would you allow us to do the cleaning of all of your tanks?

AUTOMATIC TANK CLEANING (ATC) LITE On-the-fly automatic tank cleaning and recycling technology

AUTOMATIC TANK CLEANING (ATC) LITE On-the-fly automatic tank cleaning and recycling technology ATC Lite: Permanent or mobile option for safe and continuous onshore, offshore tank cleaning applications