Complying With New SPCC Regulations and Utilizing Thermal Desorption for Tank Sludge

Updated EPA Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations went into effect January 14, 2010. These new regulations streamline the bulk container integrity testing requirements already in existence. The new regulations allow facilities to consult and rely upon industry consensus standards, such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), to determine the type and frequency of integrity testing based on tank size and configuration. For tanks that are field-constructed (generally >30,000 gallons in size and sit flat on the ground), the tank inspector must enter the tank as that is the only way to obtain access to the bottom to measure its thickness. This new regulation applies to thousands of oil and fuel tanks.
Depending on the contents of the tank and how long it has been since its last cleaning, hazardous tank bottom sludge will be generated in the cleaning process. Traditionally, this waste was managed by incineration or disposed in a hazardous waste landfill. Instead, thermal desorption technology provides a sustainable, resource recovery solution. Thermal desorption produces “clean” residuals while maximizing the recovery of oil contained in the wastes. The process separates water, oil, other organics and solids from secondary residuals streams and effectively recovers the hydrocarbon component of petroleum and petrochemical waste for reuse. An added benefit is that this technology is considered recycling. This recovers hydrocarbon resources, creating value while minimizing waste and reducing disposal costs.
This technical session will review the applicable SPCC regulations and discuss the thermal desorption process.