Oil Sludge Disposal [Bachelor Thesis]

[Toby]

Hi everybody,

I am Toby and just writing my Bachelor thesis (industrial engineering) in the marine business.
My topic is a market analysis regarding OIL SLUDGE DISPOSAL.
Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to get through this business and information are few ...
But now did I find your forum ;-) !!

My main questions are:

1.) How much does it usually (in average) COST to dispose oil sludge in the different ports around the world (I heard in China, India and Brazil you even GET paid to dispose your sludge !? Do other port pay you as well ??)

2.) What do the dispose companies do with the sludge ?? (do they burn it to get energy, do they separate the 3 parts oil, water and sediments, ... ??)

3.) Do ships usually are compelled to dispose their sludge if they enter the a port ??

4.) Do disposal companies HAVE TO take oils sludge OR oily sediments from the ships ??

I hope you can help me ... I am really desperate, since I cannot find a lot of information ...

THANK YOU SO MUCH !! Best wishes,
Toby

[Steamer]

Google "marine waste oils" and you will find enough contacts and reading to take you through grad school.

[Toby]

Thanks mate,
I did try Google already quite some times ... but I feel that my issue is subject to experience of people who work on / with ships ...
have a nice Sunday !!
BR Toby

[cappy208]

Toby:

You are not getting a lot of responses from these forums because;

1. Almost every reader or respondent on THIS forum is crew.

2. Typically crew does not, is not allowed to know the monetary value or cost of services, since the offices like to keep that stuff private. It is kept private (at least from my experience) to keep ALL nature of competitive costs, payment as secretive so as to not give the competitor an idea of your costs to bid against you for the contract of carrying cargo.

3. As crew (as far as I am concerned) we don't really care, and are not aware of most of the ancillary costs associated whith the day to day operation of the vessels we crew.

I would imagine you would have to contact the specific companies who actually haul this waste.

Another point: you mention oil sludge waste. Are you talking about used motor oil, or tank cleaning residue? Two different commodities.

One comment you made, I know a few companies who used to take waste oil for free, to re sell to use as furnace heat oil. But in the USA, the regulatory requirements and the laws recently passed made everyone I know of start charging for it. It is a huge pain in the rear end to deal with the increased paperwork, record keeping that is mandated now. The companies still sell it, but the hassle of regulation makes it cost more to handle it.

[rshrew]

For us in Seattle we have a vacuum truck come its 500$ flat fee I believe. I think the trucks have a 5,000gal capacity. They take all that is in the waste oil tanks/ bilges, I believe they take it to a plant and recycle/separate the water/oil/sluge and so on.

[Steamer]

...but I feel that my issue is subject to experience of people who work on / with ships ...

Where do you think that answer came from?

Cappy pretty much nailed it, most crew don't usually know the cost and don't really care. As a chief engineer I do know and care and try to reduce what is produced and what has to go ashore but my main concern is that the paperwork is good. We often burn sludge and waste oil in the auxiliary boiler, we often pump it ashore. It all depends on location, operating conditions, and fuel quality.

The kind of information you are asking for is available from sources easily located through a 2 minute Google search using the terms I supplied. Most of us are very happy to help out but don't expect anyone to do your homework for you.