SLOP TANK DESIGN FOR

IMPROVED LOAD-ON-TOP
Robert J. Fiocco
Exxon Research and Engineering Company
Florham Park, New Jersey
and
Vincent W. Ridley
Exxon International Company
New York, New York

ABSTRACT
Slop tanks are the focal point of the Load-On-Top system used
on crude oil tankers to prevent pollution of the sea. Design of
these tanks and their operating procedures strongly affect the degree
of oil-water separation achieved. This paper presents the results of
an investigation undertaken to define designs and procedures for
improving separation and minimizing oil discharge to sea. The program was funded in part by the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Based on tanker experience and laboratory tests with tank
models, guidelines on capacity, structure, inlets, outlets, system
design, and wastewater handling, procedures were developed. The
guidelines aim at assuring successful Load-On-Top operations by
(1) providing tanker operational flexibility for handling oily water,
(2) minimizing the degree of oil-water mixing, (3) avoiding redispersion of separated oil during feeding and discharging operations,
and (4) eliminating the possibility of accidental oil contamination.
This investigation provides a basis for future large-scale or shipboard studies to improve the performance of slop tanks on existing
tankers as well as on future tankers.

INTRODUCTION
Over the past several years, a considerable effort has been expended by the oil and maritime industries to aid in developing
technology and regulations to avoid pollution of the sea. The
urgency for this work was spurred on by the greatly expanded needs
to transport oil by sea.
One of the major steps to control pollution was introduced in
1964 with the adoption of the Load-On-Top (LOT) system for
crude tankers. The system involves the use of slop tanks to separate
oil-water dispersions generated during the ballast voyage. After
setting, water is discharged to sea. At the loading port, crude cargo
is loaded on top of the oil, and water is retained in the slop tank.
The slop tank contents are ultimately discharged with the rest of
the cargo refineries or other receiving facilities. There are economic
incentives to minimize the amount of oily water retained with slop
oil since water reduces cargo payload space and can lead to severe
processing problems at refineries.
Pollution regulations aimed at controlling the amount of oily
water discharged are established by the Inter-government Maritime
Consulative Organization (IMCO). The most recent 1973 IMCO
convention prohibits discharge of oily water unless the tanker is en
route and more than 50 miles from land. These discharges cannot
exceed a maximum of 60 liters per nautical mile, and the total
quantity of oil discharged cannot exceed 1/15,000 DWT. More

stringent regulations and segregated ballast requirements have been

proposed for new tanker construction.
There are many important facets to the problem of controlling
oil discharge by tankers, including enforcement, monitoring, and
equipment limitations. This paper relates to improvement of equipment, specifically the design of slop tanks used in LOT procedures.

Program description
A program was carried out to define slop tank designs and operating procedures which enhance oil-water separation and thereby reduce the oil content in water discharged to sea [1]. The guidelines
developed in the investigation are intended to provide a basis for
further efforts by tanker operators and builders to upgrade the performance of slop tank systems and to assure that present and future
tankers can comply with pollution requirements.
The guidelines are based on a review of tanker operating experience and studies with laboratory models. The laboratory program provided a means for analyzing separation phenomena and
evaluating alternate designs. Plexiglass models representing the
bottom sections of center and wing tanks (figures 1 and 2) were
evaluated under static and rolling conditions. For ease of handling,
a product oil, Isopar M, was used as the dispersed oil phase. Tests
were also carried out with Kuwait crude oil.

Slop tank operations and design considerations

Slop tanks are the focal point of Load-On-Top operations. At
various times during the ballast voyage, oily water generated by line
flushing, tank washing, and dirty ballasting is pumped to the slop
tank, and settled water is discharged from this tank to sea. Effective
separation of oil and water must be achieved before discharge of
water to sea.
Typical LOT operations commence after discharge of crude oil
cargo. Tanker piping lines containing oil are drained to the slop tank
and the tanker takes on ballast water in its dirty tanks before heading to sea. Tank compartments which are to be used to carry clean
ballast are then washed with seawater. Other tanks may also be
washed for general maintenance purposes. Oily wash water is continuously stripped from the tank(s) being washed and collected in
the slop tank to allow separation of oil from the water.
On inerted tankers which recirculate wash water, the slop system
must separate oil and water under continuous flow conditions. A
schematic of a two-tank continuous flow slop system used for this
is shown in figure 3. Both tanks are initially filled with clean water.
During tank cleaning, oily wash water is stripped to the primary slop

195

196

CONFERENCE ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF OIL POLLUTION

Secondary
Slop Tank

Primary
Slop Tank

(~l

Other Inlet
,
To Slop Tank

m,

Balance Line
-m
IX

0'1

Water

Discharge Lines
From Slop Tanks

Tank
Being
Cleaned
_L / Eductor For Stripping
H'
Tank Being Cleaned

Figure 3. Schematic of closed cycle washing system on inerted

VLCCs

Figure 1. Photograph of center tank model

W ^ P f ' l f^

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the dirty ballast tanks. Dirty ballast residues are then pumped to the
slop tank, and the lines are flushed in preparation for clean ballast
discharge.
After allowing time for oil-water separation, settled water in
the slop tank(s) is again discharged to sea. If there is more than one
slop tank, all residues are transferred to the primary tank. Stripping
lines are then flushed into the primary slop tank. Additional time
for oil-water separation is allowed and water is again discharged to
sea, retaining the oil layer and water with high oil content in the slop
tank.
Upon arrival at the crude oil loading port, the tanker discharges
all clean ballast. After crude is loaded into all tanks, including the
slop tank, the tanker proceeds to the discharge point.
Each operation should be considered from the viewpoint of
promoting oil-water separation in the slop tank and minimizing oil
content of water discharged to sea. The following general criteria
for slop tank design and operation were used as bases for specific
guidelines discussed in subsequent sections of this paper.
1. Operational flexibility for handling oily water should be provided to assure that adequate settling time is available.
2. The degree of mixing energy imparted to the oil-water
mixtures being transferred to the slop tank should be minimized.
3. During transfers and discharging operations, redispersion of oil
which has already separated in the slop tank should be
avoided.
4. Accidental oil discharge should be prevented.

Slop tank capacity

Figure 2. Photograph of wing tank model

tank in which most of the oil collects. Water continuously transfers

to the secondary tank via a balance line for further separation. This
settled water is recycled from the secondary tank back to the cleaning machines and is also used to drive an eductor which strips wash
water from the tank being cleaned.
After the tanker takes on clean ballast in the washed tanks, water
from the dirty ballast tanks is discharged to sea. Discharge from
dirty ballast tanks is stopped with several feet of water plus floating
oil still remaining in these tanks. At this point, settled water in the
slop tanks is discharged to sea to provide capacity for the residues in

Slop tank capacity should be adequate to allow tanker operational flexibility with regard to oily water handling. Therefore, the
recommended slop tank capacity is based on the total amount of
oily water to be handled including:
a. Oily water generated during tank washing. On VLCCs with
closed cycle washing, a minimum one-hour water holdup in
the secondary tank insures a sufficient head for the cargo
pump and also allows for separation during the washing cycle.
b. Retained dirty ballast water.
c. Water from flushing and drainage of lines and bilges.
d. Allowance for operational flexibility and avoidance of overfilling.
These quantities are considered to be additive since under some
conditions, such as short voyages or bad weather, vessels may not be
able to partially decant slop tanks prior to these operations. Tanker
operations should be aimed at limiting the amount of oily water
generated, for example, by minimizing dirty ballast tankage and
tank washing. Quantities of dirty ballast residue and flushing
water will be affected by factors such as sea conditions and length

PREVENTION
and complexity of piping to be flushed. In view of the wide variation
in tanker configurations and operating conditions, the desirable
capacity for slops receipt is in the range of 2.5 to 6% of the total oil
carrying capacity.
As an example, for a 240,000 DWT inerted VLCC with closed
cycle washing, the estimated minimum slop tank capacity is as follows:
water for washing and eductor drive
3-ft water innage from dirty ballast
tank
flush and drainage of lines and bilges
Subtotal
20% allowance for operational
flexibility

5,000 tons
4,000 tons
2,000 tons
11,000 tons

series allow better separation than a single tank with the same total
volume (table 1). For these tests, a standardized 1,125 ppm Isopar
oil-in-water dispersion was fed to the primary tank and the effluent
from the last settling tank was averaged over a one-hour period. A
3' long x 2' wide x 2-1/2' high tank was partitioned lengthwise to
give the various settling volume ratios. The inlet to each tank was
positioned near the top of the water phase and directed downward.
Unequal settling tanks (2:1 and 1:2 volume ratio) were found to
be slightly more effective than tanks with a 1:1 ratio and an equivalent total volume. Separation with three equal size tanks was comparable to two unequal tanks. In practice, a two tank system is
preferable to a three tank cascade because operations are simplified.
Also, a smaller primary tank offers advantages in segregation of slop
oil and final decantation of water.

2,200 tons
13,200 tons or 4.4% oil
carrying capacity

Total

Table 1. Oil separation in cascade settling systems

Number of
Settling Sections

Slop tank location and shape

To reduce the length of piping involved in slop handling, slop
tanks should be located as close as possible to the pumproom in the
aft part of the vessel. This location will also facilitate the trimming
of the tanker by stern (i.e., aft end of tanker lower than forward
end) for proper drainage during tank washing.
Properly outfitted cargo tanks can be used as slop tanks; however, wing tanks are preferred because of their sloping bottom shape.
Laboratory tests with models of center and wing tanks indicate that
drainage of water without reentrainment of the settled oil layer is
most complete with the wing tank shape under both stationary and
rolling conditions. As shown in figure 4, for comparable drainage
conditions, water retention in the wing tank model was generally
less than 20% of that in the center tank model. The limitation imposed by rolling motion is due to remixing of the oil and water layers
as the interface reaches the height of the tallest bottom longitudinal
structure, e.g., main girders. The mixing action results as the water
layer flows back and forth over the bottom structure.
The use of smooth bottom tanks to avoid mixing during rolling
can cause enhanced sloshing movement of the liquid and, as a result,
offer no effective advantage for drainage. Enhanced sloshing action
has been noted with smooth bottom tanks on oil-bulk-ore carriers.
When smooth slop tanks are being designed, analyses of wave
motions encountered in full size tanks at sea conditions should be
carried out to minimize sloshing action.

Cascade tank systems

On inerted VLCCs using closed cycle washing, it is desirable to
minimize oil content in the recirculated water to the tank cleaning
machines and eductors. For continuous flow systems such as these,
laboratory settling tests indicated that two or three tanks in a

Center Tank Limit During Rolling:

Center Tank Model

9?

Wing Tank Limi

During Roll
in; l
-HUuring
Rolliing

, -H

53

4
6
8
WATER DRAINAGE RATE (G PM)

Figure 4. Water holdup in center and wing tank models at onset of

entrainment of oil layer during discharge at various rates

197

Volume Ratio of
Settling Sections

Oil Content
in Effluent

ppm

151

1:1

127

1:2

113

2:1

117

1:1:1

117

Inlets
Slop tank inlets should be designed to avoid redispersion of
separated oil and to minimize disturbances which hinder oil droplet
settling. Redispersion of the oil layer by the jet action of incoming
water not only creates additional oil contamination in the water
phase, but also generates water-in-oil emulsions. Depending on the
type of crude oil, these emulsions can be stable and form very irregular "froth" zones at the oil-water interface. Emulsion layers are
undesirable since they lower the oil-water interface level and increase the amount of water which must be retained on board ship.
The inlet jet of water can also remix oil droplets which have
partially settled from the lower portion of the water phase. In a continuous flow system, such as used in closed cycle washing on inerted
VLCCs, these droplets can be entrained in the recirculated washed
water. Another situation to be avoided in continuous flow systems
is directing the inlet jet toward the discharge line and, in effect,
causing partial short-circuiting.
Laboratory tests were carried out to investigate the tendency
of various inlet configurations to redisperse oil which has already
separated in the slop tank. The tests were conducted by feeding a
stream of clean water into a tank containing water with a layer of oil
on the surface. The following inlets did not redisperse the oil layer:
1. nozzles positioned within the water phase directed horizontally with adequate clearance to the oil layer
2. nozzles positioned within the water phase directed downward
with adequate clearance to the oil layer and to the bottom of
the tank
3. nozzles directed upward from below the oil layer and, if close,
baffled to deflect the flow away from the oil layer.
Clearances for the various inlets required in lab tests with an
Isopar oil layer and an inlet velocity of 8 feet per second are shown
in figure 5. For the horizontal inlet, the clearance of 10 pipe diameters to the oil-water interface allowed for expansion of the inlet jet;
this could be decreased to 5 pipe diameters when an expanded inlet
nozzle (twice the pipe diameter) was used. For the downwarddirected nozzle, very little clearance below the interface was required; however, to avoid disturbance by the reflected jet, a
minimum height of 10 pipe diameters for the oil-water interface
above the bottom of the tank was required. Upward-directed
nozzles required 50 pipe diameters distance to the interface; this
could be decreased to 4 diameters using a flat deflector baffle over
the nozzle directed away from the wall.

198

CONFERENCE ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF OIL POLLUTION

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Figure 6. Clearance below oil-water interface required for horizontal

inlets to avoid redispersion of oil layer in laboratory tests

Figure 5. Clearance required to prevent drop tearaway from oil layer

in laboratory tests

Outlets
Clearance requirements depend strongly on inlet velocity and
interface properties of the oil layer. Figure 6 shows clearance requirements as a function of inlet velocity for horizontal inlets with
and without an expanded nozzle (diffuser) which promotes dissipation of the jet. Clearance requirements increase with increasing inlet
velocity, but are reduced with the use of an expanded nozzle. When
testing with a Kuwait crude oil layer, the clearance requirements
were approximately twice those needed for the Isopar oil tests. This
was primarily due to the presence of loose oily particles which built
up at the interface and were readily swept into the water phase by
the inlet jet.
When the inlet is positioned either above, within, or too close to
the oil layer, a wide range of oil droplet sizes can result depending
on specific conditions. Finer, more persistent oil drops are generated
as the clearance decreases, as inlet velocities increase, and as oilwater interfacial tension decreases.
Several inlet configurations were evaluated in the laboratory
for continuous flow conditions such as used in closed cycle washing.
A standardized dispersion of 1,125 ppm Isopar oil in water was fed
to the 3' X 2' X 2-1/2' tank. Inlet velocity was 8 feet per second;
effluent was averaged over a one-hour period.
These tests (table 2) indicated that horizontal and downwarddirected inlets are equivalent in tanks with transverse structure
between the inlet and outlet. In tanks without transverse structure,
a downward nozzle allowed better separation than horizontal or
upward-directed nozzles. For all configurations, there was a degree
of short-circuiting of feed to the outlet due to the mixing currents
set up by the inlet jet Poorest separation was obtained with an upward-pointed nozzle which caused a high-velocity stream just below
the interface that swept oil droplets towards the outlet.
In summary, for feeding oily water to a partially-filled slop tank,
a horizontal inlet with an expanded nozzle positioned near the
bottom of the tank is preferable. This inlet avoids the need for
baffles which are subject to erosion/corrosion problems and allows
greater operational flexibility for transferring oily water into the
tank without disturbing settled oil. For continuous flow systems,
low horizontal or downward-directed inlets are suitable for tanks
with transverse structure between the inlet and outlet. However, for
specially-designed tanks without transverse structure, a downwarddirected inlet is preferred.

Outlets should be designed so that settled oil does not remix into
the water phase during discharge of water. Remixing of oil into
water increases the oil contamination in the discharged water and
ultimately limits the amount of water which can be decanted from
the slop tank.
As illustrated in figure 7, oil entrainment in the discharge water
can occur when (1) oil is drawn down around the bellmouth due to
the flowing water, (2) a vortex forms near the outlet at the oil-water
interface, or (3) jetting of water through openings in structural members causes tearing of drops from the oil-water interface.
At low interface levels, the acceleration of the water flow around
the bellmouth causes oil to be drawn down into the discharging
water. Laboratory tests showed that the interface height at onset
of oil entrainment depended on drain rate, presence of restrictive
structure, and oil layer properties. Also, crude oils with higher
densities and lower interfacial tension are more easily entrained.
Lower drainage rates delay the onset of oil entrainment. Taller
bottom longitudinal structures cause oil entrainment at higher
interface heights. In addition, with crude oil, oily emulsion particles
which arise from natural surfactants tend to collect at the interface
and are readily entrained by the discharging water phase.
Oil drawdown around the bellmouth can occur prematurely due
to a weiring effect when tank structures that divide the slop tank
into subcompartments are present. For strength reasons, there are
limitations in the bottom hole drainage area in these structural
members. As a result, when the interface drops below the top of
the structure, oil spills over, causing the interface to be lower in the
outlet subcompartment than in the neighboring subcompartment
(figure 8). Decreasing discharge rates reduce the weiring effect.
To delay the onset of oil entrainment, expanded downward-facing
outlet nozzles (i.e., bellmouths) are recommended. It is desirable
that the peripheral clearance area to the base of the tank be twice
the cross-sectional area of the connecting pipe. The use of expanded
outlet nozzles allows this ratio to be achieved while keeping bottom
clearance to a minimum. Laboratory tests indicated that circular
and elliptical-shaped bellmouths were equivalent. Special-design outlets, such as elephant-foot bellmouths, which may permit decantation at higher rates were not tested. However, since it is desirable to
reduce drainage rates during the final stages of decantation to avoid
accidental oil discharge, the shape of the bellmouths appears to be of
secondary importance.

PREVENTION
Table 2. Effect of inlet configuration on settling in a continuous
flow system
Inlet Nozzle Configuration

Vertically downward, near top of water phase

Vertically downward, near top of water phase,

with transverse web frame

Horizontal near bottom of water phase,

with transverse web frame

Vertically upward with deflector baffle,

near top of water phase

Horizontal near bottom of water phase

Vertically upward near bottom of water phase

1 . OIL LAYER IS DRAWN DOWN AROUND OUTLET

Oil Content
In Effluent
ppm
151

199

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Water

173

Ar~~1

2 . VORTEX FORMS AT OIL-WATER INTERFACE

290

Vortex formation is strongly dependent on flow geometry as

well as drainage rate. The lab study indicated that bellmouth set
between longitudinals have little tendency to form vortices since the
longitudinals act as vortex breakers. Vortexing was noted when the
longitudinals were removed. The vortex was initiated by a water jet
at the top opening of the slot at the main longitudinal girder. Low
drainage rates prevented the vortex.
In tanks with upward-facing bottom drains, which are sometimes
used in double bottom tanks, a vortex readily formed above the
outlet. For these cases the use of anti-vortex baffles is recommended.
Water jetting through openings in structural members causes oil
entrainment in a manner similar to that observed for inlets. That is,
oil drops tear away from the interface and are carried to the bellmouth. If the interface in the outlet subcompartment is lower than
in the neighboring subcompartment due to weiring, this remixing
phenomenon is more severe. As in the case of jet-induced vortices,
low drainage rates reduce the jet velocity and avoid drop tearing.
Openings in structural members which compartmentalize slop tanks
on tankers should be as low as possible to delay jet disturbances to
the interface.
Design approaches to minimize or prevent weiring and jetting
include (1) increasing bottom hole drainage area consistent with
strength considerations, (2) avoiding structures which compartmentalize slop tanks, or (3) providing bellmouths in each subcompartment. The first two approaches require more study because of the
complexity of design factors involved. The use of multiple bellmouths avoids problems with ship structural integrity. With this
approach, piping and valving should be arranged to provide equal
suction at each bellmouth. Guidelines on positioning of multiple
outlets are follows:
In center slop tanks, the bellmouths should be located transversely in a manner compatible with the major longitudinal framing in the tank. For example, at least one outlet on either side of
the main longitudinal girders is desirable.
In wing slop tanks, bellmouths should be located longitudinally in the innermost longitudinal channel. The number of bellmouths should be compatible with the number of transverse bays
in the slop tank. Differences in water level over the outlets are
minimized by operating with the ship trim by stern.

llliiii*illlll
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3 . WATER JETS INTO OIL-WATER INTERFACE. INTERFACE MAY

BE LOWER IN SUCTION COMPARTMENT DUE TO "WEIRING".
Transverse
Frame

Wifcg

Figure 7. Mechanisms of oil entrainment into discharging water

Pumps, piping, and valving

Reciprocating pumps are preferable to centrifugal pumps or
eductors for stripping wash water from tanks being cleaned because
they do not disperse the oil as finely. Shipboard data have been reported showing the slower separation rate of wash water stripped
by centrifugal pumps compared to reciprocating pumps [2]. Eductors are frequently used for stripping tanks being cleaned because
they provide good drainage required for effective tank cleaning.
However, besides being very effective mixing devices, eductors also
increase oily water flow to the slop tank. Therefore, the use of eductors for stripping wash water should be limited to closed cycle recirculated washing systems.
For decanting slop tanks, flexibility in pumping rates is desirable
for the various stages of decantation. Reciprocating pumps used for
stripping are suitable for this service.

Flow Restricting Member With

Inadequate Bottom Hole
Figure 8. Weiring is caused by structural member which restricts
water flow to outlet. Oil layer becomes deeper in outlet section.

An independent stripping line should be provided from each slop

tank. Such lines should connect the slop tank(s) directly to the
pumproom and be used only for decantation operations. This
would eliminate the need for using cargo stripping lines to decant
the slop tank. When cargo stripping lines are used for decanting,
additional oily water is generated in the final line flush, and there is
a potential risk of contamination of the clean ballast water. If

200

CONFERENCE ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF OIL POLLUTION

independent stripping lines are not provided, master valves should

be fitted just forward of the slop tanks to avoid contamination of
the stripping lines not involved in decanting of the slop tanks.
For ease in operation, valves in the eductor piping and stripping
delivery lines to the slop tank should be located on deck rather than
at the pumproom.
The main and stripping suctions from the slop tank should always
be supplied with two valves to prevent leaks, especially when discharging clean ballast at the loading port. One of these two valves
should be a gate type.
In cascade settling systems, the secondary slop tank should have
an independent inlet similar to the primary slop tank. This allows
washing of the primary slop tank and independent use of the
secondary tank when the primary tank is unavailable. The balance
line between slop tanks should draw from the bottom of the primary
tank and discharge downward through an inverted U-loop at about
midheight in the secondary tank. A valve should be fitted in the
balance line to allow isolation of the tanks. The balance line should
be designed to maintain a 3'-5' level differential between tanks.

Separation aids
Slop tanks should be provided with heating coils to speed up oilwater separation. These are particularly useful for providing a
sharper oil-water interface and reducing water content in the oil
layer. To allow flexibility, the heating coils should have at least
two stages, one at low-tank level and the other at midtank level.
Oily water separators are desirable for use during the final stages
of slop tank decantation. Present separator limitations in regard to
capacity and effectiveness restrict their usefulness during the entire
decantation process. However, in the final stages of decantation
when flow rates are low and oil content is rapidly increasing, they
can be useful and provide insurance against accidental oil spills.

Cleanliness of slop tanks

Particular attention must be given to the cleanliness of the slop
tanks. Slop tanks free of sediment will facilitate oil-water separation
and decantation. The slop tanks should have a protective paint
coating and be supplied with fixed cleaning machines for easy
cleaning and effective removal of settled sludge.

Transfer of residues to the slop tank

After the tank washing operation, the slop tank should have sufficient capacity to receive the volume of dirty ballast remaining in the
tanks, line, and pump flush water, and the pumproom bilge contents.
If it is necessary to discharge water from the slop tank to provide
sufficient capacity, the water discharge should be stopped when the
required capacity is reached in order to minimize disturbances to the
settled oil layer during the final transfers to the slop tank.
Transfer of dirty ballast residues and the pumproom bilge content to the slop tank should be carried out with reciprocating pumps
operating at low rates. The stripping system should then be flushed
if it is to be used in discharging the slop tank. Suction is taken
simultaneously from the forwardmost clean ballast tanks with each
dirty stripping pump. The lines and pumps are flushed to the slop
tank to remove any oil accumulation in the stripping system.

Discharging the slop tank.

Discharge of water from the slop tank must be in accordance
with international regulations. Therefore, the discharge operation
must be carefully supervised to insure that it is stopped before a
significant amount of water with high oil content is released.
It is recommended that before discharge of the slop tanks a
minimum of 12-24 hours be allowed after the last operation transferring oily water to the slop tank. Settling time requirements will
depend on factors such as sea conditions and length of time the slop
tank contents have settled prior to the last transfer operation.
Before beginning the discharge operation, it is important to
get an accurate interface reading. If the interface between the oil
and water cannot be determined with certainty, discharge should not
take place and more time should be allowed for settling. In addition, heating coils should be used to facilitate separation and give a
sharper interface.
The slop tank should be drained either with one cargo pump at
slow speed or by gravity, and the discharge should be monitored for
oil content. Discharge should be stopped when the water innage
(i.e., total innage less the oil and emulsion layers) is about 15% of the
tank depth. This is normally 3 to 4 feet above the bottom transverse
members. After allowing about an hour for any turbulence due to
drainage of the tank to subside and taking another oil interface
measurement to verify the water innage, slowly draw down the tank
using one stripping pump at slow speed. If a separator is available,
discharge through it at this time.
Discharge should be stopped when the oil content is high (e.g.,
before exceeding IMCO Convention limits), or when the oil-water
interface reaches approximately 1 foot above the tallest bottom
longitudinal member, whichever occurs first. If the discharge is
stopped at a higher interface level due to high oil content, discharge
can be repeated after allowing more settling time. Further decantation should proceed only under nonrolling conditions and with discharge through a separator. Decantation should be stopped when
oil content of the discharge is high or when a minimum of 1 foot of
water below the interface remains in the tank.

CONCLUSION
This investigation provides a basis for future large-scale or shipboard studies. Slop tank designs and operating procedures have
been described which can improve oil-water separation and assure
compliance with international pollution conventions. Design improvements can be implemented on existing tankers or in some
cases, operations modified to account for design limitations. The
guidelines should also aid in the evaluation of slop tank-system designs for new tanker construction.

REFERENCES
1. Fiocco, R.J.; Lanotte, V.X.; and Raffaelli, G. 1974. Investigation of slop tank designs to improve oil-water separation.
U.S. Maritime Administration Report, 1974.
2. Shibata, K., and Hikita, K. 1971. Test report on distribution of
oil in slop tanks. Japan Naval Architecture Society Transaction, Vol. 129, June 1971.