The procedures in crude oil storage tank cleaning, also known as Crude Oil Washing (COW), is a process of cleaning the storage using the fuel itself. Before environmental regulations were enacted, these tankers were cleaned by spraying seawater into the containers. Initially, water was also stored in these same tanks to level the ships and ensure that the propellers will be below sea level, until ballast tanks were introduced.
After some time, multiple regulations has been introduced to lessen the waste produced when cleaning the tanker ships after every trip. The owners of these vessels have also found ways to use these regulations in order to lessen the oil waste to decrease costs in running them. In here, we will be tackling the many advancements for the past few decades up until the current regulations of the industry.
Thousands of tanker ships carry oil from rig platforms to refineries for processing every day. Thus, it is important to ensure the profitability of each delivery and to lower costs as much as possible. One easy way was to clean the tanks that were storing fuels regularly. If left unattended, the fuels will form a sticky layer on the walls that will not be transferred to the refinery and will be weight that the tanker would need to carry on its way back to the platform.
Initially, the cleaning method used was to pump in heated seawater and jet sprayed to remove the layer of oils from the surface, which were then pumped overboard. This method resulted in high amounts of fuel being discharged into the sea. Pollutants were highly concentrated on piers and docks where the ships were being cleaned.
In 1954, a measure was adopted to lessen the pollution produced by enforcing a ban in releasing these wastes within 50 miles from shore. The distance was also extended for up to 100 miles in places that raised great environmental concern as the wastes may cause irreversible damages. This measure was called the Oil Pollution Convention or OILPOL.
This measure did nothing to reduce the pollutants discharged and was merely transferred to different areas. This paved the way for the next process which was called the Load on Top, which still used pressurized heated water, but stored the oil-water mixture instead of simply pumping it into the sea. The mix is stored in what is called a specialized slop tank that separates overtime the heavier water and the lighter oil while the vessel is on its way back for its next delivery. The water that settled below is then pumped back into the sea.
The Load on Top was very successful that an approximate of 8 million tons of fuel per year was saved from being dumped into the sea. It also made significant savings for the companies that owned the ships as the oil that remained after removing the sea water was simply topped with fresh new crude oil.
The latest enhancement in the process of crude oil storage tank cleaning was introduced and was called the Crude Oil Washing, where the removal of sediments and layers from the walls were done by using only pressurized fuel. The removal of water from the whole process meant that there was practically no waste due to any mixtures with oil.
After some time, multiple regulations has been introduced to lessen the waste produced when cleaning the tanker ships after every trip. The owners of these vessels have also found ways to use these regulations in order to lessen the oil waste to decrease costs in running them. In here, we will be tackling the many advancements for the past few decades up until the current regulations of the industry.
Thousands of tanker ships carry oil from rig platforms to refineries for processing every day. Thus, it is important to ensure the profitability of each delivery and to lower costs as much as possible. One easy way was to clean the tanks that were storing fuels regularly. If left unattended, the fuels will form a sticky layer on the walls that will not be transferred to the refinery and will be weight that the tanker would need to carry on its way back to the platform.
Initially, the cleaning method used was to pump in heated seawater and jet sprayed to remove the layer of oils from the surface, which were then pumped overboard. This method resulted in high amounts of fuel being discharged into the sea. Pollutants were highly concentrated on piers and docks where the ships were being cleaned.
In 1954, a measure was adopted to lessen the pollution produced by enforcing a ban in releasing these wastes within 50 miles from shore. The distance was also extended for up to 100 miles in places that raised great environmental concern as the wastes may cause irreversible damages. This measure was called the Oil Pollution Convention or OILPOL.
This measure did nothing to reduce the pollutants discharged and was merely transferred to different areas. This paved the way for the next process which was called the Load on Top, which still used pressurized heated water, but stored the oil-water mixture instead of simply pumping it into the sea. The mix is stored in what is called a specialized slop tank that separates overtime the heavier water and the lighter oil while the vessel is on its way back for its next delivery. The water that settled below is then pumped back into the sea.
The Load on Top was very successful that an approximate of 8 million tons of fuel per year was saved from being dumped into the sea. It also made significant savings for the companies that owned the ships as the oil that remained after removing the sea water was simply topped with fresh new crude oil.
The latest enhancement in the process of crude oil storage tank cleaning was introduced and was called the Crude Oil Washing, where the removal of sediments and layers from the walls were done by using only pressurized fuel. The removal of water from the whole process meant that there was practically no waste due to any mixtures with oil.
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