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Storage Tank Oil Removal
A major oil company’s pipeline division was set to dismantle five abandoned storage tanks. The tanks were at the end of a pipeline on the Central California Coast. The tanks had not been used for over two decades. Though the tanks were drained when the facility shut down, water had leaked into the tanks over the years. Each tank was capable of holding 100,000 barrels. They estimated that up to 2,000 barrels of oily water had accumulated in the tanks. The remote nature of the facility meant that the conventional option of treating the water and discharging it into a storm drain or sewer was not an option. The field engineers determined that the best plan of action was to treat the water and land apply the clean water onto the adjoining hillside.
The decision to discharge the water by land application meant that the water had to be treated to exceedingly high standards in order to prevent ground contamination. The local regulatory agency set the requirements at below detection limits for oil, Benzene, Tuloune, Ethylbenze, and Xeylenes. Granular Activated Carbon will remove all of the above contaminants, and a competing treatment company recommended using a sock filter and their impregnated carbon cartridges as treatment. However, they had not thoroughly analyzed the source of water. It was likely that the abandoned tanks and piping had accumulated oil deposits. This actually proved to be the case. These heavy oils would plug up the sock filters and blind of the carbon media at high rates.
After visiting the site, Clear Creek Systems, Inc. recommended an Oil/Water Separator unit and a vessel containing EC-100 Modified Clay media as pretreatment for the carbon. The Oil/Water Separator caught the heavy oil sludge and free product. The EC-100 Modified Clay media was much more efficient at removing heavy oil than carbon. Due to the stringent treatment requirements, the client utilized the carbon as a polishing media to remove the lighter hydrocarbons before discharge.
Once operations began, it became apparent the impregnated carbon cartridges employed by the competitor did not adequately remove the lighter hydrocarbons. This forced the pipeline company to suspend activity. They were very concerned about any delays due to the fact that the rainy season was approaching. The client asked Clear Creek Systems, Inc. if they could bring a carbon system onto the site which could do the job. They chose Clear Creek Systems, Inc. 25 gpm rated carbon system. The complete system provided by Clear Creek Systems, Inc. brought all the hydrocarbons in the water to below detection limits, and the client was able to commence discharge operations.
Not only did Clear Creek Systems, Inc.’s equipment satisfy the demanding discharge requirements, but the complete treatment unit was less than one half of the competing firm's charge for the impregnated carbon units alone. Clear Creek Systems, Inc. coordinated their activities to ensure that the water handling and treatment systems were compatible. As a result, not only did the client receive an integrated package which met their water handling and treatment needs, but they reduced their treatment costs by more than 50%.
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