In oil refineries, oil storage tanks needs regular cleaning as accumulation of oil sludge in the tank leads to capacity losses of the tanks. Aromatic and chlorinated solvents have been the traditional-use chemicals for cleaning in these areas. Cleaning of various equipment and hardware must regularly occur to keep equipment and operations running smoothly and safely.  

Substantial quantities of oil emulsified with water and solids are typically left in tanks. This results in the sludge material being designated "hazardous waste." Mechanical sludge-removal methods do not fully recover the hydrocarbons trapped in the sludge. 

Nanotera BioSurfactant products and technology reduce hazardous waste generated from tank bottoms and allow the recovery of valuable hydrocarbons without disturbance or damage to tanks or pipe surfaces. 

Additionally, Nanotera BioSolvents perform just as good as traditional solvents when it comes to asphaltene and paraffin dissolution & dispersion. They are typically more efficient than terpene-based solvents for pipe dope removal and as effective in mud removal compared again with terpene-based solvents.