Tank cleaning system for offshore installations

Alfa Laval has developed a new system specifically for cleaning drilling mud tanks and pits on offshore oil and gas platforms which, they claim, can improve efficiency by as much as 80%

Alfa Laval has developed a new system specifically for cleaning drilling mud tanks and pits on offshore oil and gas platforms which, they claim, can improve efficiency by as much as 80%.

While barite might be deal for increasing weight and pressure down the hole, it clogs up mud pits and solidifies in tight corners and around agitators to the point where cleaning becomes an absolute necessity.

Conventionally, this is a manual job involving several personnel literally digging out the accumulated mud.

As well as being time consuming, the operation flies in the face of good Health and Safety practice and is inefficient in terms of the resources and manpower employed.

Disposing of the slop also costs roughly GBP37 per barrel and adds significantly to the overall cost.

According to Alfa Laval, their Offshore Tank Cleaning System, used in conjunction with the right chemicals and a suitable solids recovery system such as a decanter centrifuge, is up to 80% more effective than manual based systems.

Used in conjunction with Mud Cleaner 947 - a water-based, non-toxic, bio-degradable degreaser formulated specifically for this duty - Alfa Laval Tank Rotary Spray or Jet Heads perform a thorough clean, to brine standards, in hours rather than days.

The Rotary Heads provide 360 degree indexed cleaning that is computer designed to impact every surface for a predetermined time span.

Nothing gets missed and water usage is kept to a minimum.

As a result, the Alfa Laval Offshore Tank Cleaning System provides savings that pay back the capital cost of the installation in a matter of months.

More importantly, the need for on-board containers and additional non-crew personnel is eliminated since existing crew members can be easily trained to operate the system.

Back to top