Oil Skimmer Blog

A US customer previously purchased a 2” solar powered PetroXtractor™ as part of its groundwater remediation system. The unit was being used in desert like conditions to pull oil from a well. Although the PetroXtractor was successfully remediating the oil from the well, the facility was having problems with the environment affecting the process. Sand was getting blown in and onto the belt and was mixing with the retained oil. After contacting Abanaki for a solution, it was decided that the company would benefit from utilizing a vapor tight model. Typically, Abanaki doesn’t offer the vapor tight model with the solar powered kit. However, since the problem at hand in this particular application wasn’t about keeping vapors in, but rather keeping debris out, the vapor tight was the ideal solution. The vapor tight unit features an enclosure around the belt that goes down into the well. This helps in keeping the sand and debris from reaching the belt, and mixing with the oil. With the new addition of the vapor tight option with its solar powered PetroXtractor kit, the company’s operation is now operating smoothly.

A metals manufacturer in TN was experiencing issues with one of its processes in which they use a Mighty Mini Belt Oil Skimmer. They were using the Mighty Mini with a stainless steel belt to skim sodium hydroxide from a tank that had a pH of 12 and a temperature of 170 degrees. These conditions were causing the stainless steel belt to become brittle and it started to crack during operation. The company reached out to Abanaki to find a solution to its problem. After being made aware of the operating conditions, it was determined that the facility needed to use a high temperature polymer belt for this specific operation. This belt material can withstand much higher temperatures and harsh chemical environments. After using the new belt material, the company’s operation has been running smoothly with no problems to report.

Choosing the right oil skimmer may improve the oil collection rate depending on the application. In a parts washer application, a belt skimmer is usually the best choice because of its small footprint and its ability to use various belt types to handle harsh conditions. Shallow wastewater sumps may have less than one foot of water, requiring a tube type oil skimmer that uses a tube that can float on the surface and collect the oil without bottoming out. Standard coolant sumps may be able to be cleaned up with an inexpensive disk skimmer while other sumps may have very little access. Some sumps can only be accessed with an oil skimmer that can bolt to the side of the tank and have a tube access the sump through a cutout in the side of the tank. If you're not sure which skimmer would best suit your plant's application, contact an Abanaki's sales rep today and they'll help determine which oil skimmer is right for your application! Or click the photo below to launch our Oil Skimmer Selection guide and click the X that fits your application to find out what skimmer is best for you.

Did you know that about 40% of the US population uses groundwater as drinking water? Unfortunately, there are still roughly 126,200 sites in the US that contain contaminated groundwater and require remediation. Groundwater remediation is the process of removing pollution from our water supplies and fresh drinking water sources. This process can be costly and range from $110-127 billion. However, with the use of Abanaki’s PetroXtractor oil skimmers and leachate pumps, that cost can drop drastically. Our products are designed to work in rugged and harsh environments. Additionally, they require little power or energy to operate, helping to reduce energy costs of the end user. Learn more about the facts of contaminated groundwater sites in the US and how Abanaki PetroXtractor belt oil skimmers and pumps can easily and efficiently remediate your contaminated ground water. Click the image of our new infographic below to learn more about Groundwater Remediation and our wide range of useful products!

An Ohio Manufacturer was facing a problem at its multiple machining centers were becoming contaminated with tramp oil. The plant manager was concerned with rising disposal and replacement costs for the five machining centers. With coolant needing to be replaced in the tank every three months, Hahn Manufacturing contacted Abanaki to find a solution to its troublesome coolant costs. After further inspection, it was suggested that Hahn use Abanaki’s Mighty Mini SST Oil Skimmer. This skimmer can remove one to two gallons of medium weight oil per hour. The stainless steel construction enables it to operate in harsh chemicals and heat, while the integrated timer lets it run only when needed. It is designed to reduce water content in the disposed oil. Its compact size allows it to fit almost anywhere.

There are many things that need to be taken into consideration when buying and using an oil skimmer. Undersizing your skimmer, using the wrong skimming material, or buying from the wrong vendor are all things that can lead to a bigger mess. Read through our '7 Deadly Sins of Oil Skimmer Selection' guide and learn about all of the dangers to avoid. If you still have questions, contact one of our sales reps and they will get you squared away with the perfect skimmer for your particular application!

Abanaki recently published an infographic demonstrating how our oil skimming technologies are an environmentally safe and low-cost method to recycle your used oil. Learn more about how the Model 8 Belt Oil Skimmer and the rest of our products can assist you in recycling your used oil. Additionally, learn how beneficial it is to recycle used oil. Download and share this infographic now!

Many of the machining centers built today have limited access to the coolant sump. This presents an interesting challenge to plant maintenance personnel on how to remove the oil from the coolant sump in their machine. They need a small solution to a big problem; a tube skimmer like the Tubetastic is the perfect fit. The tube skimmer has a small footprint and an even smaller mounting arrangement. There is a small lip on the front of the tube skimmer that allows you to easily mount the skimmer on even the most limited-access tank. The tube skimmer has an oleophilic tube that snakes into your machining center and removes the oil from your coolant. Keeping coolant clean is important in reducing shop odors and will make coolant last longer. See how the Tubetastic tube skimmer works in this animated demonstration.