Above Ground Storage Tank & Terminal Cleaning

We send the facility a current training matrix and personnel mobilization forms. Once your side approves the people, every work group and vendor attends your facility orientation, and we hold a pre-job meeting at the tank with everyone who will be involved. JSAs are written and reviewed for equipment inspection, equipment setup, de-inventory of remaining waste and the isolation work. All equipment is grounded and function tested before first use.

Double block and bleed per the isolation plan, blinds and skillets installed under lockout and tagout. Isolation is verified by every work group involved and re-verified with your assigned personnel, then personnel locks go on.

Spill containment goes in before any flange is broken: containment pans under every break point, berms and absorbent staged. Tags are ready before the blinds and skillets go in. Rigging, mechanical devices and straps are inspected and the load weight verified before anything is moved.

Water goes in through the tank's 2-inch water-draw connection, or through a top connection installed under supplied air, using a 2-inch diaphragm pump. At height we stop and pump down to the oil water separator, which holds 1,000 gallons and handles a minimum of 50 GPM.

Nozzles go into the tank through the 20-inch top manway with the manway sealed off, crews on supplied breathing air. Material is pumped down from the water draw to the waste frac tank.

A third party mobilizes a direct-fire thermal oxidizer for vapor control, connected to a top flange with a knock-out pot in line so no liquid can reach it, on its own generator. Inlet and outlet VOC and LEL readings are taken every 30 minutes and logged, and the tank LEL is checked throughout. Degassing is complete when the reading is confirmed under 5 percent LEL.

Once LEL is under 50 percent, nozzles go in at the bottom manway under supplied air to help the degassing along and move sediment. The waste is liquefied so it can be pulled out and discharged to the waste frac tank. Crews remove what they can reach without breaking the plane of entry.

A 20-inch blower goes on the top manway opening and pulls outside air in through the bottom opening, flushing the remaining vapor out the top.

The confined space entry permit is completed, the blower is shut down, and the supervisor tests the atmosphere through the bottom manway with a gas monitor. Results are documented and the blower restarts. Personnel working the opening are on supplied air with full body harness and protective clothing, and monitoring is continuous. Waste near the manway comes out with water pressure, vacuum, 6-foot aluminum squeegees and brass shovels.

The supervisor walks the crew through the JSA and a detailed rescue plan, ventilation is shut down for an accurate atmospheric test, and the entry permit is completed. Entrants go in through the bottom manway on supplied air in full harness and protective clothing. A hole watch and rescue personnel stay stationed at the manway for the entire entry, the hole watch never leaves the post, and every entry and exit is logged. Sludge and solids come out with vacuum and washdown, walls and floor are cleaned with a hot or cold water blast unit, and cleaning height is no less than 3 feet and higher where what we see calls for it. The tank is washed with detergent, then you and PMI walk it together before anything is rigged down.

All waste from the tank and from the cleaning goes into the frac tank. When it is ready to move, a vacuum truck is dispatched to your approved disposal site. Used PPE is drummed and goes the same way.

Both manways reinstalled, skillets removed and piping restored, personnel locks off, equipment rigged down, work area cleaned, trash and oily rags and absorbent pads in proper waste containers, and the area swept for debris.