In recent years, the Hydrocarbon Processing Industry has become
increasingly aware of the need to improve the safety and environmental
impact of its operation, in both process and utility areas.
Many companies have turned to Chemisolv, relying on our broadly-based
chemical expertise and applications' experience to develop safe
and effective treatment programmes.
Our team has developed programmes which are highly effective in
many areas of a typical refinery or petrochemical facility.
The majority of these programmes have been customised, thus maximising
their effectiveness, an approach which means virtually every programme
is unique.
However, examples of general application areas include
the following:
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In conjunction with associates - Serv-Tech Environmental Services and Petro-Recovery Systems Inc, both divisions of Serv-Tech Inc - we have developed programmes for the rapid, safe cleaning of crude oil storage tanks, distillate storage tanks, catalyst fine slurry tanks and API separators. These programmes combined the advantages of customised chemical products with the latest technology and equipment, eliminating the need for operators to enter the tank.
Wetting agents, emulsion breakers, viscosity modifiers and sludge mobilisers are applied, in various combinations, to increase the efficiency and safety aspects of the mechanical cleaning programmes. The benefits are a faster clean, increased product recovery and resultant solids conditioned to meet environmental requirements.
Solids or sludge recovered from tank bottoms often require consolidation through centrifuges or belt-presses before landfilling. Our experts choose from Chemisolv's range of specific polyelectrolyte product, selecting the one which is most cost-effective, and applying it to the centrifuge or belt-press to enhance performance. This ensures a more acceptable landfill.
Each programme is developed and supported by our applications
and analytical laboratories, where plant performance can be predicted
and essential analyses performed.
Asphaltenic and paraffinic waxes, which accumulate in the bottom of crude oil tanks, can produce significant sludge volumes. This ties up valuable inventory which Serv-Tech Environmental Services can recover using their patented HP2000 cleaning system. This re-suspends the waxes, enabling the refiner to process virtually the whole tank and recover lost inventory.
Old or high water content sludges can present an operating problem
when the tank contents are fed forward to the crude unit. This
can be resolved with one of our range of desalting adjunct products
and/or complete emulsifier programme, which minimise the impact
on the desalter and preheat exchanger train. These programmes
are usually applied and monitored during the processing of the
crude oil from the tank which is being cleaned but can also be
used during routine processing of difficult crudes or at tank
changes.
Tower decontamination programmesAt Chemisolv we have developed a chemical cleaning programme for distillation towers which is safe to apply, effectively conditions deposits to facilitate wash out and has no adverse impact upon the API separators or other downstream units. The result is a cleaner tower, prepared for gas-testing faster than by conventional steaming and water-washing alone. |
Our considerable expertise in providing customised treatment programmes for problematic wastewater systems had led us to extend our service to include oil, water and solids separation technology.
Our trained Chemisolv technologists develop programmes on site to increase the efficiency of API separators and downstream equipment. These programmes combine the benefits of emulsion breakers, polymeric coagulants and flocculants and be linked with the latest chemical feed and control equipment to maximise cost-effectiveness.
Whatever the treatment problem, in any area of the hydrocarbon processing industry, our team will use innovative chemistry and lateral thinking to find the solution for you.
If you have a process or utility related problem that requires
a creative chemical solution,
contact Chemisolv today.
Refinery view is a Shell photograph.