According to Greentech company Sulnox, its improved oil/water separation methodology helps deliver lower fuel costs and reduced emissions.
It works by tackling the perennial problem of ‘ships’ slops’, a hydrocarbon-rich industrial waste produced in various parts of a ship’s operations, including tank cleaning, purifying fuels and use of ballast water. Slops typically contain around 70% water in what would otherwise be useful heavy fuel oil (HFO). Traditional separation processes often require high heating temperatures and long separation times to allow gravity to drag out the water from the oil in a separation tank. Often, the HFO that is recovered can still contain significant amounts of water (5% and above) which reduce its value and usefulness.
Augmenting an existing separation plant with the Sulnox process brings the following outcomes:
- Separation is accelerated, with processing times reduced significantly, increasing the effective capacity of existing plants.
- Lower heating temperatures are required, leading to energy savings and a lower on CO2 footprint
- Water recovered is less contaminated and may be disposed of easily and safely
- Oil recovered has typically around 1.5% (or less) water content which means added value and saleability
Slops are a feature of ship operations in ports worldwide. Growth in the wider market for eco-friendly demulsifiers, used to separate water from fuel oil, is supported by environmental regulation and a corporate imperative to adopt more sustainable practices.
Sulnox has recently announced that it has secured its second important patent in South Africa, marking its fourth in the significant fuel oil reclamation market and extending protection to 49 countries worldwide. In South Africa, the management of slops is overseen by the South African Maritime Safety Authority and the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA). The country’s eight commercial ports accommodated more than 9,000 vessel arrivals in 2024, including almost 1,400 tankers.
Sulnox’s patented products cover a range of formulation versions which includes both Heavy Sulphur Fuel Oils (HSFO) emulsifiers and Sulnox Eco Fuel Conditioners, which enhance all diesel, petrol/gasoline and biofuels, and marine fuels including MGO and MDO, VLSFO/ULSFO and HSFO.
Ben Richardson, CEO Sulnox, said: “This South Africa patent is an important extension of our intellectual property in fuel reclamation, supporting a sizeable revenue opportunity in the global maritime industry for tackling the specific area of slops. It is a particularly pleasing addition to our patent portfolio, since Durban in South Africa is where we first proved the practical application of our technology with tests showing less than 1.5% water in post-treatment samples. We look forward to announcing several further patents for both emulsification and oil reclamation as we target new sectors and markets worldwide.”
