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Slop water

Slop water is produced on offshore oil and gas rigs when cleaning the pipe and drill deck and is water that is contaminated with hydrocarbons, other chemicals and wastes. On drill decks, slop water can also contain erosive substances such as highly corrosive salts, drilling muds including chemicals in suspension and in solution, mud containing water, salt water, rain water and formation water as well as sand, floating solids, stones and large particles.

Benefits of our centrifugal separators
  • Reduce residual oil content to max. 15 ppm
  • Oil-in water measuring device, monitoring the aqueous phase for purity levels
  • On-site treatment of slop water
  • Avoidance of traditional transport costs
  • Cost-effective solution
Meeting IMO regulations

Across various processes in the oil and gas industry, including the treatment of water, strict adherence to environmental regulations is crucial. To meet the standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), GEA offers specialized high-performance, self-cleaning centrifugal separators and clarifying decanter centrifuges. The goal is to efficiently reduce the oil content to levels below the legally specified limits, often set at 15 ppm or 5 ppm in some regions.

Continuous and reliable operation, along with cost-effective features such as reduced disposal costs and low energy consumption, makes GEA's solutions suitable for both offshore and onshore applications. The emphasis on compliance, efficiency and cost-effectiveness is a common thread in addressing the challenges posed by oil-contaminated water in the oil and gas industry.

Monitoring purity levels

To guarantee adherence to prescribed limits, we employ a specialized oil-in-water measuring device. This device monitors the aqueous phase, ensuring the de-oiled water meets environmental requirements. If oil levels exceed the set standard, the liquid is recirculated to the slop water tank and only released when it meets the necessary purity criteria.

On-site treatment for cost efficiency

All these various possible compositions make an overboard discharge of slop water inadmissible due to existing environmental regulations, so that they have to be treated before discharge. GEA's approach allows for on-site slop water treatment, eliminating the need for costly transportation to shore for processing and disposal. By efficiently treating slop water at its source, our solution not only ensures compliance with regulations but also minimizes the environmental impact and reduces operational costs. 

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