Problem

A shipping barge berthed at Port Arthur, TX, had a hardened heavy oil/asphalt petroleum product at the bottom of its three compartments of over 30,000 barrels of capacity (total). The client had been trying to remove the material for several months, without success. Because the product had been settled for some time, it had the consistency of rubber and could not be easily removed. Beginning in December of 2013, numerous unsuccessful attempts at cleaning the barge had been made, but nothing seemed to work.

Solution

In July 2014, the barge owners contacted U.S. Submergent Technologies – TX (USST) to see if they could remove the material from the barge. USST provided their new 360-HD Combination3® Truck and set up at the site. After extending their proprietary downhole pumping system to the product, the USST crew was able to recirculate and soften the material. Using their powerful Combination3® system, USST was able to remove the material and pump it into dockside vacuum boxes.

Results

Over 75,000 gallons (almost 300 tons) of petroleum product was removed and the barge’s capacity was restored. The work was accomplished in just 5 days, with almost no disruption of dock activities. The client was very pleased with the results.

View the entire case study here.