Crude oil storage

Watanabe K, Y Kodama, N Hamamura, N Kaku (2002) Diversity, abundance, and activity of archaeal populations in oil-contaminated groundwater accumulated at the bottom of an underground crude oil storage cavity. Appl Environ Microbiol 68 3899-3907. 

Waste material snch as tank bottoms from crude oil storage tanks constitute a large percentage of refinery solid waste and pose a particularly difficult disposal problem due to the presence of heavy metals. Tank bottoms are comprised of heavy hydrocarbons, solids, water, rust, and scale. Minimization of tank bottoms is carried ont most cost-effectively through careful separation of the oil and water remaining in the tank bottom. Filters and centrifuges can also be used to recover the oil for recycling. 

Petroleum facilities may accidentally release significant quantities of arsenic into soils, sediments, and waters. Soils surrounding a crude oil storage facility in Los Angeles, California, USA, normally contain <0.5-8.0mg kg-1. However, the soils were contaminated with 30-2300mg kg-1 of arsenic. Most of the arsenic probably originated from corrosion inhibitors that were used in production wells and possibly also from arsenic-bearing biocides that were applied to tanks (Wellman, Reid and Ulery, 1999). 

Wellman, D.E., Reid, D.A. and Ulery, A.L. (1999) Elevated soil arsenic levels at a former crude oil storage facility-assessment, remediation, and possible sources. Soil and Sediment Contamination, 8(3), 329-41. 

It may not apply to refineries, crude oil storage operating below 4.3 barg (65psig). 

A crude oil residence time range 8 to 30 h or more is the normal dehydration tank design basis to achieve a 1% by volume water remainder specification. Figure 4.12 shows the average heavy crude oil storage time required for this 1% specification. I recommend that you take Fig. 4.12 to heart in selecting your minimum storage time for the 1% quest. 

Chemical reaction or polymerization High-temperature coking Corrosion Buildup on internal reactor surfaces, and in crude-oil storage tanks, is often encountered Carbonaceous material is deposited on walls of furnace tubes Common problem in heat exchangers... 

Contamination. Fats and oils with appreciable amounts of phosphatides and other easily hydratable materials, such as those from soybean, cottonseed, corn, rapeseed, etc., can be contaminated with moisture. Conditions of high humidity, warm oil, and cool temperatures can produce sweating within crude oil storage... 

Figure 10. Typical piping arrangement for a crude oil storage tank.

The basic processing steps consist of (1) crude oil storage (2) degumming or caustic refining (3) bleaching (4) hydrogenation (5) fractionation or winterization (6) deodorization and (7) finished oil storage. Each step removes specific components from the oil. These materials may be classified as ... 

Watanabe K, Watanabe K, Kodama Y, Syutsubo K, Harayama S (2000) Molecular characterization of bacterial populations on petroleum-contamination groundwater discharged crude oil storage cavities. Appl Environ Microbiol 66 4803-4809... 

Emerson Gumming, Inc., eventually bought the rights to the Sohio process and produced a variety of microspheres. Union Carbide was licensed to produce the phenolic microspheres offered under the name Phenolic Microballoons (Table 15). When Phenolic Microballoons are introduced into a crude-oil storage tank, they form a fluid seal that rises and falls with the level of the oil. A continuous vapor-barrier seal is formed, which reduces evaporational losses up to 90%. Tests have been conducted under various mechanical and weather conditions and with crude oils of varying vapor pressure. 

Excellent resistance to mild acids, mild alkalies, salt water and freshwater. Poor solvent resistance. Used for crude oil storage tanks, sewage disposal plants, and water works. 

Fixed roof tank — breathing loss VOC 3.6EI lb/kgal-5rr-crude oil (storage capacity) Vapor recovery system — 95 percent Flare — 95 percent... 

Combination rate of rise and fixed temperature The author has even observed the provision of a tensioned string connected to a pressure switch that has been provided as detection over the vapor seal of a floating roof crude oil storage tank. Although this method may be considered primitive and inexpensive, it is eflFective and beneficial compared to the option of no detection. 

Rotation of floating roof of crude oil storage tank Operation Crude oil storage tank Oil Physical damage Control failure... 

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