Crude oil storage tank cleaning, or commonly called Crude Oil Washing (COW), is mainly the process of cleaning the storage using the oil itself. Prior to strict environmental regulations, tankers were cleaned using jets that sprayed seawater inside the containers. Also, before ballast tanks were introduced in ship design, water had to be stored in order for the propeller to be properly immersed at sea.
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.
Early methods used in the removal of the layers of oil on the container walls involved the heating and spraying of seawater inside these tanks, and were then released overboard. This, unfortunately, also released the petroleum that was mixed in the process and were simply discharged without ensuring its safety.
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.
Due to the pollution that was still being produced by the OILPOL adaption, a new process was introduced where the tanks were still cleaned using pressurized heated water, but instead of disposing the waste, it is first placed into a special slop tank. While the ship is on its return voyage, the oil, which is lighter than water, would eventually float on top. The water, which settled at the bottom, will be returned to the sea. This process is called the Load on Top.
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.
Another improvement for the crude oil storage tank cleaning process was once again introduced and called the Crude Oil Washing, which used pressurized fuel and sprayed onto the walls to remove the layered sediments that got stuck. This latest process eliminated the use of water, thus removing the need to separate the petroleum from a cleansing agent that would usually produce waste.
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.
Early methods used in the removal of the layers of oil on the container walls involved the heating and spraying of seawater inside these tanks, and were then released overboard. This, unfortunately, also released the petroleum that was mixed in the process and were simply discharged without ensuring its safety.
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.
Due to the pollution that was still being produced by the OILPOL adaption, a new process was introduced where the tanks were still cleaned using pressurized heated water, but instead of disposing the waste, it is first placed into a special slop tank. While the ship is on its return voyage, the oil, which is lighter than water, would eventually float on top. The water, which settled at the bottom, will be returned to the sea. This process is called the Load on Top.
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.
Another improvement for the crude oil storage tank cleaning process was once again introduced and called the Crude Oil Washing, which used pressurized fuel and sprayed onto the walls to remove the layered sediments that got stuck. This latest process eliminated the use of water, thus removing the need to separate the petroleum from a cleansing agent that would usually produce waste.
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