Project Overview

Britteco was commissioned to carry out a large-scale industrial oil tank cleaning project at a large commercial and industrial facility in Bristol. The project involved three above-ground industrial storage tanks, with capacities of 40,000, 80,000 and 80,000 litres respectively, requiring full internal cleaning, sludge removal and decontamination — all within a strict two-day operational window.

The cleaning programme was critical to the client's upcoming production schedule, with no margin for delay. Britteco mobilised at short notice and delivered the full scope of works safely, on time and within budget.

The Challenge

Industrial tank cleaning at this scale presents multiple operational and logistical challenges — particularly on an active manufacturing site with live production requirements.

• Three tanks required cleaning consecutively — oil transfers between tanks had to be carefully sequenced to allow access to each vessel in turn
• Strict site access controls and health and safety requirements at the facility demanded detailed pre-works planning and RAMS submission
• Significant sludge and sediment build-up in all three tanks — requiring a combination of vacuum extraction, high-pressure water jetting and manual decontamination
• All works completed within five days to meet the client's production deadline

Our Approach

Britteco's team produced site-specific Risk Assessment and Method Statements prior to mobilisation, ensuring all cleaning operations were fully planned and approved before works commenced. A structured oil transfer programme was agreed with the client to sequence tank access without interrupting site operations.

On site, the team utilised a combination of specialist techniques to achieve a full clean across all three vessels:

• Vacuum extraction — bulk sludge and residual fuel removed from each tank base
• High-pressure water jetting — internal tank walls and base plates cleaned to a high standard
• Decontamination — full internal decontamination to remove hydrocarbon residues and microbial contamination
• Licensed waste disposal — all removed sludge, residues and waste water disposed of through licensed waste channels with full documentation

Results

Full compliance documentation — including waste transfer notes and site-specific RAMS — was provided to the client on completion. The project was delivered safely with zero incidents and zero disruption to the facility's operational schedule.

Services Delivered