The fourth edition of the guide on the Safe Operation of Vacuum Trucks in Petroleum Services provides essential guidelines for the safe handling of vacuum trucks involved in managing flammable and combustible liquids, wastewater, produced water, sour water, basic sediment and water (BS&W), caustic substances, spent acids, and other fluids associated with petroleum activities, as well as powders and the risks associated with dust explosions.
This Recommended Practice (RP) covers the operation of vacuum and pressure trucks, skids, portable tanks, and trailers—collectively referred to as vacuum trucks. These vehicles are used for extracting flammable and combustible liquids from storage tanks and equipment, as well as for cleaning up liquid hydrocarbon spills. The guidelines also address the transportation of liquid mixtures, such as produced water, BS&W, or tank bottoms, which may contain enough hydrocarbon content to present similar hazards.
Furthermore, the recommended safety protocols extend to the use of portable vacuum tanks, skids, and trailers that are commonly employed in emergency response situations for cleaning up flammable and combustible liquid spills. Although not explicitly detailed in this standard, Annex E provides insights into pneumatic trucks and hoppers, which are frequently used in the petroleum sector for the removal of dry materials like catalysts, dust, powders, or residues.