Oil Patch Bits: M-I Swaco new inhibitive drilling fluid system

M-I Swaco, a Schlumberger company, said Oct. 1 that it recently acquired Idrabel Italia, an environmental technologies company based in Italy. The company specializes in production tank cleaning and petroleum sludge treatment as well as oil recovery and volatile organic compound control for the petroleum and petrochemical industries, focusing specifically on solving critical problems related to hydrocarbon recovery from tank sludge while preventing toxic gas emissions. The traditional approach to cleaning accumulated sludge from oil storage tanks used in refineries, terminals and tank farms imposes many challenges including HSE risks, high volumes of waste and prolonged tank shutdown time. The Idrabel system allows for recovery of more than 95 percent of hydrocarbons present in the sludge while minimizing the volume of waste to be treated or disposed of. The automated system also provides significant benefits reducing the exposure and risk associated with tank entry and waste handling. The acquisition allows M-I Swaco to integrate its environmental solutions technology offerings to the downstream petroleum industry, creating additional opportunities to serve this sector. Idrabel Italia’s offices in Savona, Italy, will continue operating with the current structure and customer service quality but will now be part of a larger organization that will enhance its global coverage and support.