Oilfield services in Venezuela
Oil Recovery from Pits
The same pit. Before and after.
From solidified oil to recovered barrels, with our own equipment and documentation for MPPEA.
From Zulia, for all of Venezuela.
The service
Three steps, one crew
Our thermal recovery service transfers controlled heat to solidified crude and oily sludge in tanks or open pits. Thermal energy significantly reduces viscosity, turning the material into a manageable fluid. This enables efficient extraction, pumping and return to the production chain, recovering valuable hydrocarbons.
Discuss your operation with our teamHow we work in the field.
Discover the stages and equipment involved in this operation.
We inject steamTechnical capability
The equipment behind the service.
Review the specifications and scope to plan your operation.
- Recovered hydrocarbons
Crude previously lost in pits and tanks returns to the production chain as a valuable product.
- 1,500 Bbl / day
Recovery capacity demonstrated in contracts completed with 100% compliance in Zulia.
- Environmental liability resolved
The pit or tank is progressively and verifiably remediated, supported by reports for environmental records.
- Integrated operation
Steam, pumping, vacuum and storage from one provider: one crew and one field coordinator.
Technical specifications
Soluciones Delta C.A.- Method
- Controlled heat transfer
- Heat source
- Fully automated OTSG steam
- Demonstrated capacity
- 1,500 Bbl/day
- Application
- Pits · Channels · Tanks
- Extraction
- Screw pump · 160 Bbl vacuum
- Storage
- 500 Bbl Frac Tanks
- Documentation
- MPPEA filings · Decree 2635
- Availability
- 24 hours / 7 days
Equipment availability and service conditions are confirmed when quoting.
Plan your operation
Applications and scope.
Information about the process, fluids, safety and resources supporting this service.
What does thermal recovery involve?
Crude left for years in a pit, channel or tank bottom solidifies and forms emulsions with water and sediment that cannot be moved conventionally. Thermal energy reverses that condition:
- Controlled heat transfer through direct steam injection into the crude mass
- Significant viscosity reduction: solidified material becomes a manageable fluid
- Heat-assisted separation of oil-water-sand emulsions
- Extraction of fluidized crude using positive-displacement pumps or a vacuum unit
- Return of recovered hydrocarbons to the production chain
- Demonstrated recovery capacity: 1,500 Bbl/day
Where we apply the service
Thermal recovery adapts to accumulations of solidified crude or oily sludge:
- Open oil pits left by previous operations (environmental liabilities)
- Channels, drains and ditches with accumulated crude and sludge
- Storage tanks with solidified bottoms and asphaltic sludge
- Tank farms, separators and process equipment containing stagnant crude
- Areas affected by heavy and extra-heavy crude spills
Operating process
Each recovery follows a controlled, documented procedure, from initial assessment to delivery of the recovered crude:
- 1. Pit or tank characterization: volume, viscosity, water and sediment content
- 2. Steam generator and injection lance system installation
- 3. Progressive thermal injection with temperature and fluidity monitoring
- 4. Extraction of fluidized crude using a screw pump or 160 Bbl vacuum unit
- 5. Temporary storage in 500 Bbl frac tanks and free-water separation
- 6. Measurement of recovered volumes and client reporting
- 7. Progressive remediation until the area is fully cleaned
Equipment integrated into the operation
Oil recovery from pits combines several of our service lines in a coordinated operation:
- Fully automated OTSG steam generator as the thermal energy source
- Perforated steam injection lances for pits and tank bottoms
- Hydraulic screw pump with a skimming plate for floating oil extraction
- 160 Bbl vacuum unit for sludge and high-viscosity fluid suction
- 500 Bbl frac tanks for storage and settling of recovered crude
- Backup generator and on-site operations trailer
Environmental benefits and documentation
Recovering oil from a pit returns valuable product and removes an environmental liability. We document the entire process:
- Recovered-volume records and before-and-after mass balance
- Reports for environmental filings with the MPPEA
- Management of unrecoverable waste under Decree 2635
- Final disposal certificates for sludge and sediment
- Progressive, verifiable remediation of the pit, channel or tank
What types of material can you recover?
Solidified heavy and extra-heavy crude, floating oil layers, oily sludge, asphaltic sludge and oil-water-sand emulsions in open pits, channels, drains and tank bottoms. The higher the material's viscosity, the greater the advantage of thermal recovery over mechanical extraction.
How much crude oil can be recovered per day?
Our demonstrated capacity is 1,500 barrels per day, achieved in contracts at oilfields in Zulia. Actual output depends on the pit's volume, viscosity, water and sediment content, assessed during initial characterization.
What happens to the remaining water and sediment?
Free water is separated by settling in frac tanks, then sent to authorized injection wells or treatment plants. Unrecoverable sludge and sediment are handled through our waste management service under Decree 2635, with a manifest and final disposal certificate.
Does the service include environmental documentation?
Yes. We provide recovered-volume records, a before-and-after balance and reports needed for MPPEA filings, allowing the client to demonstrate remediation of the environmental liability.
How does this differ from steam injection for tanks?
Steam injection for tanks keeps stored crude fluid during normal operations to facilitate pumping and dispatch. Thermal recovery in pits targets crude that has already solidified or been lost in environmental liabilities. It includes extraction, storage, separation and documentation of recovered hydrocarbons.
Complete your operation.
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Let's talk about your project
Your next operation starts here.
Tell us where and when you need the service. Our team will help define the equipment and scope.
+58 424-6472446Support from San Francisco, Zulia.