METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OIL STORAGE TANKS

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for cleaning an oil storage tank. The apparatus includes a portable vacuum collection tank and a recirculating pump. The pump is coupled at an inlet to a layer of produced water in the storage tank and at an outlet to an injector at a bottom of the tank for stirring up settled sand. A suction line removes the stirred up sand into the vacuum collection tank. Th e portable tank and recirculating pump can be supported on a single vehicle fo r transport from site to site while the use of produced water as a fluidising agent in a storage tank cleaning operation eliminates a second pressure truck having a supply of fluidising agent being required as in conventional cleaning operations.