Refinery & Terminal Oil

Storage Tank Cleaning and

Sludge Management Services
Increase your storage capacity and maximize hydrocarbon recovery;
while reducing downtime, risk, waste and cost
Features
Thermographic 3-D mapping and sludge
characterization provides a clear picture
of the quantity/quality of sludge. This
information is used to develop an optimized
tank cleaning program and to quantify the
potential recovery of valuable oil
Sludge Management System to minimize
the accumulation of sludge in the tanks.
BioRecOil^ System: re-suspends sludge
and separate hydrocarbons, water and
solids to enable the recovery of oil and
storage capacity with the tank in-service.
NOGAS^ system: Tank degassing with zero
emissions before opening the tank.
All equipment installation and
preparation of tank for processing at
ground level with the tank in-service
Unique, integrated, biotechnological
and hydro-mechanical process for
automated in-tank separation and
oil recovery
No requirement to open the tank unless
complete cleaning is required for
inspection and maintenance
All work is carried out with certified
equipment according to zone
specifications
Benefits
Maximize storage capacity without
taking tanks offline or emptying tanks
Recovers over 95% of valuable
hydrocarbons trapped in sludge.
Reduces up to 95% of waste-treatment
volumes, disposal requirement and cost
Reduces up to 90% of personnel
entry into confined space compared
to other methods
Mitigates personnel risks through the
elimination of working at height and
reduced crane lifts
The system can be used to clean
damaged tanks
Eliminate the need for a secondary
buffer tank
With the sludge treatment inside the
tank the hydrocarbons are largely
separated from the solid. Only if the tank
needs to be cleaned to a gas free are the
settled solids are then jetted from the
tank and recovered to an external
separation system (centrifuge etc.)

Applications
Refineries and tank farms, marine and
shipping terminals, and any installation
with hydrocarbon-storage tanks.
Problems
Storage-tank sludge contains valuable
hydrocarbons that can be recovered.
Conventional tank-cleaning methods
do not reduce the waste and the
resultant expense of disposal. These
conventional methods also take tanks
offline for a significant period of time,
costing owners considerable revenue.
Solutions
M-ISWACO has solved this problem
with the BioRecOil process that is
completely automatic, designed to
desludge the tank, minimize cleaning
time and manpower, recover as much
as 95% of the hydrocarbons, reduce
the resultant waste by up to 95% all
while the tanks stay on-line.
Recover up to 95% of your
hydrocarbons and reduce
waste-disposal costs by as
much as 95%
As sludge accumulates inside your
storage tanks, it slowly reduces your
profits along with the usable tank space.
Conventional tank-cleaning methods can
be just as detrimental to your business
revenue, because they can work against
you in three ways. They take your tanks
out of service for prolonged periods,
they generate waste and sludge
volumes, and they can require dangerous
work practices.
The advanced BioRecOil process from
M-ISWACO helps you maximize your
storage capacity rather than draining your
operating budget removing waste. Not
only does the process release revenue by
recovering more than 95% of the valuable
hydrocarbons present in the sludge, it
also helps tank operators reduce waste-
disposal costs by up to 95%.
The M-ISWACO system is also inherently
safe. All of the hydromechanical equipment
is installed in the lateral manways of the
tank at ground level, eliminating the risks
associated with roof-installed equipment,
and the system requires no personnel
entry, creating a safer alternative to
traditional manual solutions or semi-
automatic systems that work from the roof.
After the initial use of the system, the
equipment can be left in place to provide
on-going sludge management, protecting
your tanks from corrosion and maintaining
processing capacity as well as reducing
your long-term operating costs by
preventing sludge accumulation.

Economics
The value of the recovred oil,
combined with the saving from the
reduction in waste and the reduced
downtime of the tank collectively make
the use of the BioRecOil system a high
value proposition for the refinery or oil
storage owner.

Environmental
The system uses environmentally
acceptable natural products that
are tested for biodegradability and
deliver optimal results while ensuring
operator safety and significantly
reducing waste generation.
How the BioRecOil in-tank separation
and recovery process works
Because tank sludge consists of varying Sludge mapping and characterization
ratios of hydrocarbons, water and some
This begins with a thermographic survey that yields an accurate 3-D picture of the amount
solids, M-ISWACO performs 3D Sludge
of sludge and its distribution profile. M-ISWACO collects the thermographic information
Mapping and Characterization in order
from various points outside the tank and around its perimeter. This data is added to
to develop the most appropriate sludge
imagery from ATEX-certified density-profile sensors and proprietary software. M-ISWACO
treatment and cleaning program that
also gathers samples of the sludge to determine its properties and design the optimum
ensures optimum results.
tank-cleaning strategy. This will also enable us to forecast the amount of recoverable oil
The M-ISWACO BioRecOil as well as the amount of solids that will remain after the cleaning process has finished.
process
From experience, M-ISWACO knows
that the bulk of a sludge mass is the oil
and water, with the solids being a much
lower percentage. Our strategy for the
on-line desludging is to separate and
remove the oil and water from the solids.
This can be repeated several times without
losing a significant amount of a tanks
working volume and without shutting the
tank down, taking it offline and sacrificing Cold tapping and circulation
its productivity.
With the cleaning strategy determined, M-ISWACO then uses cold-tap technology
Because the BioRecOil process does not to create an opening into the tank through the blind flanges, without hot works. This
require removing the roofs legs or tapping eliminates having to open the manways, regardless of the sludge and oil levels. The cold
the roof, the floating roof can be kept tapping device is then replaced with a telescoping jetting tool that is used to circulate
floating at all times, eliminating the vapor the contents of the tank (sludge and oil) with a predetermined amount of biosurfactants.
space. After the treatment, if required, the During circulation, the oil, water, biosurfactants and solids are thoroughly mixed together
floating roof will land uniformly, avoiding to create a temporarily stable emulsion.
mechanical troubles and enhancing the
safety of the operation.
The process has been successfully used
for cleaning more than 100 oil tanks, fuel
oil tanks and slop tanks belonging to
leading oil companies around the world.
BioRecOil cleaning is most effective
for tanks with capacities and diameters
ranging from 1,000 m3/20 m diameter up to
160,000 m3/100 m diameter.
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Hydraulically controlled jets rotate to create optimized circulation pattern

Closed-loop, in-tank separation closed-loop system. The water phase Although the cleaning process is
and oil recovery is pumped to a wastewater system or automatic, we constantly monitor
another process. With storage capacity quantitative and qualitative parameters
At the end of this phase the pumps
recovered and the sludge removed, the throughout the operation. Particular care
are switched off and the oil and water
small residue of solids (salts, sands and is taken during the recovery of oil and
separate from each other and from the
mineral oxides) can be left in the tank until during a degassing operation, with multiple
solid phase. The oil phase, unchanged by
a total tank cleaning is required. sensors delivering real-time gas analyses
the biosurfactant, can now be pumped
from different locations around the tank.
directly to a ship or another tank, via the

Before separation After separation

Oil

Sludge
Water

Solids
M-ISWACO has additional services to
keep your operation safe and productive
Avoid risks from gas accumulation with the
Rotoflex* degassing system
Complete tank cleaning. For situations
when a tank must be completely cleaned,
inspection or maintenance work, for
example M-ISWACO can remove the
residual solids from the tank, and still
minimize personnel entry. We use the same
circulation equipment as for desludging but
with the nozzles changed for hot washing.
We pump the solids to a separation tank
where they can be centrifuged prior
to disposal. Detailed manual cleaning
can then take place in the areas behind
pipework and legs.
Degassing. When a tank must be
completely cleaned via the hot-water
method, M-ISWACO can help you avoid
the risks associated with gas accumulation
within the tanks vapor space. Our NOGAS
degassing employs a gas-scrubbing
Safety and the environment are
top priorities for M-ISWACO
M-ISWACO provides leading oil and gas
waste management and environmental
technology, from the oilfield to the refinery.
All of our personnel are trained to the
highest standards and dedicated to
complying with QHSE requirements.
BioRecOil is an environmentally
responsible technology as the
biosurfactants used are natural
biotechnological products that have no
detrimental effect on the environment
or on the oils recovered. Hydrocarbons
column attached to the exterior of the tank.
can be effectively recovered in-situ
A pneumatic extractor draws in the gas
from the bottom sludge, leading to a
into the column where it is neutralized
significant reduction in the amount of
with a nebulized spray of LECS. The
waste to be disposed of in landfill or
system can reduce the Lower Explosive
transformed in inert matter. The process
Limits (LEL) to below 5% before the
also has a minimal effect on the immediate
manholes are opened without emission
environment, minimizing the risks of
into the atmosphere.
damage to the tank due to the use of
Particular care is taken during degassing mechanical equipment, and cutting the
operations, with multiple sensors impact in terms of emissions into the
delivering real-time gas analyses from immediate vicinity.
different locations around the tank.
Production waste management.
M-ISWACO can help you deal effectively
with your tank wastes and help keep
you in compliance with local, state and
national environmental regulations.
We can help you treat the waste water
as well as the remaining sludge.
Whatever your requirements, we
provide a range of waste-management
solutions that can be tailored to suit your
operational requirements.
Continuous emissions control. M-ISWACO Lecs Voc Control system in service to
can reduce dangerous gas emissions from abate gaseous emissions
storage tanks and other sources with the
LECS VOC Control^ system. Situated on
the tank roof, the system sprays a fine
mist of surfactants, chelating agents and
nutrients onto the gaseous emissions to
neutralize volatile organic compounds.
Success stories
Europe
BioRecOil process removes
90% of sludge, recovers
$2 million of oil
A client wanted to minimize sludge
content in a tank with a diameter
of 61 m and a volume of 65,000 m3.
Thermographic imaging and manual
measurements quantified the sludge
volume, and then three telescopic-
nozzle modules were installed
on the tank shell through existing
manway covers. This project used a
combination of biosurfactants and the
crude oil in the tank.
Desludging required 30 days, and
the tank was kept in service except
during the circulation phase. Following
the BioRecOil process, 99% of the
hydrocarbon content was recovered,
and the sludge was reduced by 90%,
restoring valuable storage capacity
with no significant service interruption.
Europe Africa
M-ISWACO recovers Client recovers $1 million
4,700 m3 oil in just 12 days, of crude during pre-demolition
with no personnel entry cleaning
M-ISWACO used the BioRecOil The floating roof on a 76-meter-
process to recover 97% of the diameter tank (90,000-m3 capacity) had
hydrocarbons trapped in 5,000 m3 distorted and sunk, and there were
of sludge from a clients tank with leaks at the bottom of the tank. The
a diameter of 96.5 m and a capacity client needed to demolish the roof and
of 160,000 m3. recover as much of the oil as possible.
Analysis of the tank revealed that
the sludge was composed of 94%
hydrocarbons, 4.5% water and
1.5% sediment. Four hydro-dynamic
modules were installed through
existing manways on the tank shell.
M-ISWACO circulated the tank for
120 hours with the floating roof in the
service position. The biosurfactants
were mixed with 11,000 m3 of cutting
During the BioRecOil process, safety
oil and 3,700 m3 of fire-fighting water.
was paramount, which necessitated
The recovery of the hydrocarbons
gas monitoring and the use of the
took just 12 days with the entire
LECS VOC Control system. Following
project lasting 10 weeks due to
oil recovery, the tank was washed
additional maintenance works.
and drained so the roof could then
No personnel entry was required to
be dismantled.
process the sludge.
All demolition devices were equipped
with special probes connected to
an LEL detector. The entire process,
including roof demolition, took just
15 weeks and recovered 30,000 m3 of
crude from the tank and an additional
2,850 m3 from the sludge.
For a safe, efficient and cost-effective
solution for recovering storage
capacity and hydrocarbons, contact
M-ISWACO today.
Technology Centers
M-ISWACO
Houston, Texas
Tel: 2815611300
Fax: 5612811441

M-I SWACO
Via Molinero, 4
Zona P.A.I.P.
Savona, 17100
ITALY
Tel: 39019264110

P.O. Box 42842

This information is supplied solely for informational purposes and M-ISWACO makes no guarantees or
warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy and use of this data. All product Houston, Texas 77242-2842
warranties and guarantees shall be governed by the Standard Terms of Sale. Nothing in this document
is legal advice or is a substitute for competent legal advice.
www.miswaco.slb.com
Email: questions@miswaco.slb.com

2010 M-I L.L.C. All rights reserved. *Mark of M-I L.L.C. ^Mark of Idrabel Italia S.r.l.
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