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US 6,033,901 AGranted
System and process for in tank treatment of crude oil sludges to recover hydrocarbons and aid in materials separation
AssigneeAPLC, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Powell, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for removing a sludge from a crude oil tank while recovering hydrocarbons from the sludge. The method is carried in the crude oil tank. The sludge is studied to determine a preferred treatment fluid. Once the treatment fluid is in place in the tank, the contents are vigorously mixed and agitated. Subsequently, the contents of the tank are sampled and any recovered hydrocarbons are removed, followed by removal of the treatment fluid.
Claims14
A method for removing a sludge from an oil tank comprising the steps of:
- performing a treatability study on the sludge contained in the oil tank;
- heating the contents of the oil tank;
- vigorously mixing and agitating the contents of the oil tank including the sludge including the step of forcing a treatment fluid into the oil tank at a pressure in the range of 500 psi to 3,000 psi;
- sampling the contents settled on a bottom of the oil tank;
- and removing the volume of recovered hydrocarbons from the oil tank.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.