Oil platforms and ships of the type FPSO These are units that have large storage tanks for oil, produced water, and drilling fluids as part of their structure. offshore tank cleaning It is an extremely technical operation that requires meticulous planning and a robust logistical infrastructure. Because it is a critical process within the maintenance schedule, any deviation can directly impact the operational continuity of the unit, demanding maximum reliability in execution and adherence to deadlines.
THE TSL Engineering and Services has decades of experience in offshore tank cleaning, delivering complete solutions that cover everything from planning to managing the waste generated.
The execution of offshore tank cleaning for the TSL It follows strict protocols to ensure the efficient removal of contaminants and the safety of the teams:
With a strategic base in Macaé, the TSL It is prepared to mobilize teams and equipment to any location within the national territory, serving platforms and terminals with agility.
Get in touch with TSL Engineering and Services and talk to experts in offshore tank cleaningOur consulting engineering team is ready to develop the ideal work plan for your needs.
An FPSO has several types of tank, each with a different residue. Cargo tanks accumulate crude oil sludge at the bottom. Slop tanks receive oily water and washing residues. Ballast tanks accumulate sediment and, over time, scale. Produced water tanks concentrate residual oil, solids and mineral scale. The cleaning plan takes into account the product, the volume of sludge and the access to each tank.
Tanks on offshore units undergo periodic inspections of the structure and coatings. For the inspection to take place, the tank must be clean, degassed and released for entry. Cleaning is the step that sets the timeline of the inspection campaign: a delay there pushes back the unit's entire maintenance schedule.
Offshore cleaning depends on logistics: beds on board, equipment shipment, storage of waste in drums or tanks, and transfer to shore. With an operational base in Macaé (RJ), TSL mobilizes crews and equipment to the Campos Basin and other locations across Brazil. Waste offloaded ashore goes on to treatment and disposal through waste management.
Sludge removal can be manual, mechanized or robotic, depending on the tank. Mechanized and robotic cleaning reduce the time people are exposed in the confined space, which matters even more on board, where emergency response is constrained. TSL has 15 years without lost-time accidents and dedicated rescue teams on its operations. See also offshore maintenance and oil tanker tank cleaning.
Work on oil platforms follows NR-37 (Brazilian regulation for safety on oil platforms), which covers safety and health on platforms, including how the cleaning crew works alongside the unit's operations. Inside the tanks, the confined space procedures of NR-33 (Brazilian regulation for confined spaces) apply: atmosphere measurement, ventilation and an entry permit. When the tank must be gas free for hot work, the atmosphere is treated beforehand by inerting.
Oil storage tanks, produced water tanks and drilling fluid tanks on platforms and FPSOs.
Removal of residual product with pneumatic pumps, inerting with saturated steam, manual or mechanized sludge removal and high-pressure hydroblasting of the walls and bottom.
Personnel are trained for confined spaces and are supported by dedicated backup teams and rescuers throughout the operation.
From its operational base in Macaé, from which it serves platforms and terminals anywhere in Brazil.
