Additives to clean and recovery of soil impregnated with oil, cleaning of stationary equipment, tanks, and remediation process additives applying surfactants.
Smart Fluid has developed additives that facilitate the cleaning and recovery of soils and materials impregnated by hydrocarbons, whether due to accidental spills, maintenance activities, well intervention, breakage, or replacement of pipelines and/or flow lines, etc.
In cases of accidental spills of hydrocarbon fluids in lakes, rivers, or the sea, the additives of the Smart Fluid Cleaner family, allow the risk of environmental contamination to be eliminated and the spill to be recovered. The product must be sprayed directly onto the water surface that has suffered the spill. Appropriate means should be used according to the size of the spill and the affected area. As soon as the aerosol of the SF-CL product comes into contact with the spill, an immediate reduction of the stain or the affected area will be observed, thus immediately inhibiting the extension of the contaminated area and allowing the recovery of the spilled hydrocarbon by means of a suction hose. This treatment does not pollute the environment and can be applied to both fresh and saltwater (seawater). The effect of the applied product can be appreciated superficially, but it is not perceptible from the 60 cm depth of the treatment, thus preserving the fauna and flora from any undesirable contamination.
In case of application to hydrocarbon-impregnated land due to accidental spillage, due to the effects of proximity to oil extraction wells and/or proximity to oil storage pits or pools, the form of treatment consists of making an emulsion, of the SF-CL product in water, in the proportion of 5%. The procedure consists of washing the earth mass with the emulsion, keeping the necessary time in agitation, and by decantation, we will obtain a separation of three phases. The upper layer will be of oil or extracted hydrocarbon, the intermediate layer will be the remaining emulsion that will allow reuse, depending on the level of contact with hydrocarbon of the treated land, and the layer of the bottom, which will be the clean land, free of hydrocarbon. The proportions of soil and emulsion will depend on the degree of contamination of the soil to be cleaned.
In cleaning tanks or deposits that have contained hydrocarbons, such as crude oil, fuel oil, heavy oils, etc., the treatment to be followed is as follows: Create an emulsion of the product SF-CL, at 5%, in water, in an auxiliary tank. From this tank, the formed emulsion will be taken by means of a hose and will be projected with a pressure gun against the walls of the tank to be cleaned. It can be monitored with a robot type projector that allows reaching the walls and corners of the tank. If it can be applied with a temperature, about 50ºC, the performance is spectacular. The cleaning emulsion is recirculated until it is saturated with hydrocarbon. By decantation the hydrocarbon is separated on the surface, allowing its recovery.
Laboratory tests must be carried out to determine and/or design the most suitable Smart Fluid cleaning additive, as well as to define the specific quantities to be applied.