BOE Report

HighFire Energy Services: Cleaning with Steam

In order to properly execute vessel entries, internal inspections and repairs a vessel must be purged of all flammable vapors, fumes, and contaminants. The team at HighFire Energy Services has executed vessel decontaminations throughout Alberta including rail cars, storage bullets, towers, and storage spheres.

Using a method of cleaning known as Vapor Phase Cleaning, steam and cleaning solution is introduced into the vessel, tower or sphere. Steam is used to preheat the steel and begin the flushing process. During the steam injection stage continuous temperature profiling of the vessel is monitored. Proving ideal conditions, steam injectable solvent is introduced in the steam line. Steam as a carrier allows the solvent to disperse throughout the vessel and will begin to break down heavy hydrocarbons, asphaltenes, bitumens, and crude. Following this cycle, a steam rinse is completed and steam samples are taken to ensure the vessel has been fully purged.

Benefits of using this method include:

  • Minimal on-site personnel and equipment
  • No vessel entry required during the cleaning
  • Reduced manual cleaning efforts (If any)
  • Reduced outage window
  • Rapid deployment and minimal on-site setup
  • Multiple systems including piping can be swept, purged, and cleaned
Our industrial cleaning team has completed over 350+ vessels throughout Alberta in the past three years with a high success rate. This technology has been employed on the following vessels types:
  • Propane & butane bullets
  • Propane spheres
  • Rail cars
  • Debutanizer / Deethanizer towers
  • Merox packages
  • Filter pots & exchangers
  • Dehydration & amine towers
  • Inlets & slug catchers
  • Condensate storage bullets
  • Flowlines
Scoping is required to ensure a successful job outcome. Ensuring drains, vents, and entry points are identified and cleared is critical to ensure steam & solvent cross-flow is achieved. Solvent retention time & steam flow are important factors to consider when planning a vapor phase job.
 
HighFire’s fleet of rental steam boilers plays a valuable part in the execution of these cleaning activities. Ranging in steam capacities from 25 HP to 85,000 lbs per hour with pressures up to 800 PSI, this fleet is the backbone of their heating and rental group. In addition to that, staffed power engineers have extensive experience operating these units in plants and facilities while working alongside chemical technicians and project managers.

Executing a cleaning exercise on a natural gas dehydration tower during turnaround. This cleaning & purge was completed in order to complete tray repairs & internal inspection.

 

Executing a vessel cleaning & purge on a butane storage bullet prior to internal inspection.

 

Hydrocarbon decontamination sample from a condensate storage bullet.

For more information on industrial cleaning services or other HighFire services please visit our website at www.HighFire.ca or call us at 780-809-0893.