"As a company, we realized we had something customers needed. We knew there was a place for our services in the downstream industry.” — Kenny DesOrmeaux, CEO, Ecoserv
Equipped with the success of its robotic, automated cleaning technology in the upstream industry and the versatility of its products, Ecoserv entered the downstream market with a unique pilot test at a large Gulf Coast refinery. The company’s new technology was so well received Ecoserv still has not left the refinery one year later.
The team’s secret is its “Fit-For-Purpose” solution — robotics that can be retrofitted or adapted to provide solutions in many areas, minimizing human confined space entry in hazardous environments.
Ecoserv has been developing specialized cleaning techniques for nearly 20 years. The company first ventured from its upstream roots and applied its robotic cleaning solution at an aboveground storage facility in 2012. An independent consulting company called Ecoserv’s device “a powerful tool in the industry,” while an industry professional called it a “game changer.” After Ecoserv acquired the waste management and disposal capabilities of Newpark Environmental in 2014, DesOrmeaux was ready to craft an industrial services division.
“We had case studies and data showing our robots can clean aboveground storage tanks safer and faster,” he explained. “We knew we could take that same robot and pair it with different implements and attachments to achieve versatility for downstream industry purposes.
“With that, I pulled together some key people and started this new division.”
Ecoserv’s Industrial Services division is led by Matt Hebert, business development; Clint Mikulencak, operations; David LaCoste, waste management; and Mitch Osborne, disposal. The experience of the leadership along with the adaptability and strength of Ecoserv’s resources combined to put the company in a unique position to serve all areas of the oil and gas industry.
“We are continually uncovering new applications for our robotics and automated technology in the downstream industry,” explained Hebert. “This is true so much so that it is difficult to list our myriad services by application.
“Our ‘Fit-For-Purpose’ methodology doesn’t have boundaries. We see it this way: When there is a hazardous or potentially hazardous environment, why risk human exposure when it can be performed robotically?”
Applications Ecoserv has provided include, but are not limited to, aboveground storage tanks, ditches, sumps, sewers, separators and other vessels, cooling tower basins (some potentially on-line), excavation under pipe racks and other equipment, and automated box cleaning systems.
“Downstream, upstream or midstream, we can perform work in any energy market that has tanks, vessels, sumps, ditches and so on that need to be cleaned or have a robot perform work to keep personnel out of harm’s way,” said Hebert.
A safer option in a high-hazard industry is a tall order to fill. Tank hazards alone can range from oxygen deficiency, fires and explosions to chemical toxicity, resulting in flash fire burns, chronic illness, irregular heartbeat and more, including death. As OSHA’s National Steps Alliance warns, “Your life can change in a single breath or with one spark.”
“If safety is important to you, your company and your co-workers, why would you still entertain the idea of putting people and assets at risk or in harm’s way when there is trendsetting technology and solutions that minimize, if not eliminate, the potential hazards?” asked Hebert.
‘World-class performance’
A great example of Ecoserv’s “Fit-For-Purpose” solutions is the company’s recent success at a Gulf Coast oil refinery. Stormwater ditches at the site needed to be cleaned. The ditches varied in depth and width, and portions were under concrete, presenting access issues.
The refinery’s project team identified robotics as a preferred alternative to cleaning the covered areas that presented safety risks to personnel responsible for accessing those areas. Ecoserv performed a five-day pilot test on one of the areas of the ditch that contained sludge and significant debris. About 80 percent of the ditch was affected. Ecoserv removed a significant amount of sludge and solids in 10 hours of actual robot or remote-operated vehicle (ROV) working time while bypassing the water to a downstream point safely with no human entry.
Environmental engineering company AECOM worked with the site owner to select Ecoserv, and Ecoserv supported AECOM on the project.
“After several meetings and job walks with the AECOM and site owner project team, we at Ecoserv quickly realized the ditch-cleaning challenges would be an ideal application for our Pitbull (H-5) track-driven ROV,” explained Hebert. “This particular ROV is a combination of a vacuum system and adjustable pressure washer nozzles. The vacuum portion uses 6-inch hose, and the pressure nozzles are used to motivate stubborn debris and sludge to basically be hydro excavated.”
The ROVs are all controlled by hydraulics and use environmentally safe and biodegradable hydraulic fluid.
“There were no safety concerns involving intrinsically safe issues and volatile heavy vapors seeking out the low-lying areas, including hydrogen sulfide,” said Hebert.
Over time and as a result of storms, a significant amount of wood, sandbags and other debris accumulated. The sludge and debris could not be sprayed out of the ditch with high pressure.
“With that in mind, some modifications were made so we could use low-pressure water as needed in the noncovered area and high-pressure water as needed in the covered area,” explained Hebert. “We also adapted a guard or grill on the front of the vacuum head to push large debris out of the way while continuing on the main task of removing the sludge.”
Ecoserv brought in the Pitboss (H-6) ROV, which has a very strong hydraulic controlled claw that is primarily used in aboveground storage tank cleaning. It holds high-pressure hoses and nozzles for nonmanned hydro blasting and is designed to hydraulically manipulate the tracks to reduce the footprint to fit into an 18-inch manway and then expand once inside a vessel.
“We brought the Pitboss to grab and remove foreign debris from under the covered area or to wash from one end toward the Pitbull vacuum ROV,” said Hebert. “We also made some other proprietary enhancements after the pilot test that allowed us to run for six months without any mechanical failure.”
“Sediment accumulation within the ditches negatively impacted stormwater discharge from the surrounding units,” explained Steve Krul, project manager, AECOM. “The sediment was removed to restore the ditches to proper operation, to reduce drainage backups in the process units and to allow for inspection of the ditch infrastructure.”
In addition to the two ROVs, Ecoserv provided the equipment and support systems, including a portable generator, hydraulic unit, high-pressure pumps, a control panel with video screen, video camera and a portable tool room.
Each ditch took approximately 30 days to complete, which was one-third of the time it would have taken to do the ditch manually.
Additional benefits included:
- Removed personnel from the ditch and potential exposures to unknown contaminants
- Allowed access to covered section for more efficient cleaning and removal of sludge
- Reduced project downtime for heat-related issues
- Saved 50 percent of cost by using Ecoserv’s robotics technology over manpower
- Reduced scheduled project time by 72 days
“The advantage is the reduction of risk to personnel by allowing remote operation and not requiring personnel to be placed in direct contact with the materials or any resulting exposures from fugitive emissions,” a refinery representative explained. “Because they could work continuously in hot or cold weather, Ecoserv reduced downtime that would have resulted from personnel doing this work manually.”
AECOM was equally pleased.
“The cleaning was significantly faster than conventional fire hose/vacuum truck methods of removal,” said Krul. “The ROVs provided the ability to remove sediment safely (minimizing placing personnel in the ditch) and provided access to areas that could not be reached using conventional sediment removal methods.
“Further, Ecoserv exceeded safety expectations, completing the project with zero injuries and zero incidents.”
AECOM plans to continue working with Ecoserv in the future.
“Ecoserv provides world-class performance in the specialty field of sediment/sludge removal from poor-access and high-risk areas,” said Krul. “They are a service-oriented organization with highly experienced specialists focused on working through problems and finding solutions to achieve target goals.
“Ecoserv differentiates themselves from other organizations by their technical expertise and problem solving skills. In many cases, they can design a specific piece of equipment based on your needs and situation.
“Ecoserv’s staff showed strong work ethic characteristics. They were willing to work long hours where necessary without complaint.”
‘Professional people, professional work’
“In my 25 years of experience in the refining and petrochemical industry, I have never seen anything like this level of performance or heard anything like the client feedback we are receiving from these projects,” said Hebert.
When Ecoserv cleaned Alon USA Krotz Springs Refinery’s cooling tower basins, it was Maintenance Planning Superintendent Wayne Ardoin’s first experience with both Ecoserv and robotic services.
“This was a trial run for possible future work on larger tank cleaning projects,” explained Ardoin. “Ecoserv had professional people who did professional work.
“The project was completed within schedule, within budget and with no safety issues at all. With this being their first time in our refinery, I was surprised they were on top of all procedures and safety guidelines.
“We plan to use Ecoserv again!”
“The projects we have performed so far have completed on average 30-percent ahead of schedule and below budget,” said Hebert. “On one project, we had a robot for six months in a stormwater ditch that contained hazardous material and had zero mechanical failures or incidents. This speaks to both the durability and reliability of our robots.
“While the downstream market is just starting to look into robots for confined spaces, Ecoserv has been perfecting this technology for 10 years and employing the robots in the upstream and dockside marine arenas.”
In addition to its specialized, automated and robotic cleaning capabilities, Ecoserv can also provide industrial facilities along the Gulf Coast with an integrated solution to managing nonhazardous waste generated during these operations. Ecoserv provides processing and other services relative to the disposal of Class 1 and 2 nonhazardous industrial wastes at its Big Hill Industrial Facility, located approximately 30 miles from Port Arthur, Texas. The facility is permitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to receive, process and dispose of nonhazardous industrial wastes via two Class I injection wells. Nonhazardous liquid, solid and sludge wastes are received at the facility by truck and are processed for low-pressure injection into the wells via an aboveground pipeline. Typical examples of industrial wastes accepted at the facility include industrial process waters, stormwater from containment areas, chemical cleaning solutions, off-specification chemicals and refined product pipeline wastes.
“We call our innovative offering ‘Science Beyond Compliance,’” explained DesOrmeaux. “That is, Ecoserv uses science to go beyond compliance and believes a sustainable business model makes for a better world.”
The Big Hill Industrial Facility has been providing safe, cost-effective disposal services to industrial clients along the Gulf Coast since 1999 with an impressive compliance record with all regulatory agencies.
Class I well injection technology has been lauded by the EPA as “safer than burying them in landfills, storing them in tanks or burning them in incinerators” (EPA Fact Sheet 813-F-94-002 Class I Injection Wells and Your Drinking Water). According to the fact sheet, “Disposing of waste via low-pressure injection wells into subsurface strata that is contained by overlying layers of shale, which seal disposal zones and keep waste from migrating to other zones that contain aquifers is the safest and most environmentally friendly disposal option available.”
Ecoserv’s patented low-pressure injection technology keeps drinking water reservoirs free from any risk of exposure — another way Ecoserv takes Science Beyond Compliance.
“At Ecoserv, we have pioneered a solution — an evolution in thinking and technology,” said DesOrmeaux. “Ecoserv is the industry’s first truly streamlined provider of safe and effective environmental solutions.”
“Reduction of risk to personnel.” “Remote operation.” “Work continuously in hot or cold weather.” “Significantly faster than traditional methods.” “Exceeded safety expectations.” There has to be a better way. You have found it.
For more information, visit www.Ecoserv.net or call (844) 4ECOSERV [432-6737].
