Tank Cleaning · Standard Review
With effect from 1 July 2026, the mandatory work safety industry standard AQ 3042—2025 "Safety Specification for Storage Tank Cleaning Operations in Onshore Oil and Gas Fields" came into force, superseding AQ/T 3042—2013. The new standard sets out systematic requirements for preparation before tank cleaning, personnel management, gas testing, manual cleaning and mechanical cleaning.
Scope of application
The standard applies to the cleaning of crude oil tanks, waste oil (water) tanks and pits, gas field water tanks and pits, and mud tanks and pits at onshore oil and gas fields.
For the companies concerned, tank cleaning can no longer be judged solely on whether the tank ends up clean. How the cleaning method is selected, whether preparation before the job is adequate, whether personnel may enter the tank, whether gas testing meets requirements and whether site safety measures are properly implemented are all equally important parts of managing a cleaning operation.
01 Tanks above 1,000 m³: the mechanical cleaning requirement deserves close attention
Clause 4.9 of AQ 3042—2025 states explicitly:
Text of the standard: tanks with a capacity of not less than 1,000 m³ that have the conditions for mechanical cleaning shall be cleaned by mechanical cleaning methods.
This requirement deserves particular attention from tank operations and safety management personnel. For tanks that reach the relevant capacity and where mechanical cleaning is feasible, the new specification now sets a clear mechanical cleaning requirement.
Reducing the need for personnel to enter high-risk environments at the point where the working method is chosen is in itself an important direction for tank cleaning safety management.
02 Work to be completed before the job starts
Tank cleaning cannot simply begin the moment equipment arrives on site.
Under AQ 3042—2025, the tank management organisation must first carry out a capability assessment of the cleaning contractor. Both parties must then conduct a joint site survey and keep records of it. The survey covers the tank structure, process connections, condition of the medium, the working environment, the main risks and their control measures, emergency measures and escape routes.
Preparatory work also includes the construction plan, the site emergency response plan and the energy isolation plan.
Piping and equipment that could affect the safety of the work must be isolated in accordance with the plan, and the explosion-protection rating of electrical equipment and installations used in flammable and explosive hazardous areas must comply with the relevant specifications.
In other words, safety management for tank cleaning effectively begins before personnel and equipment even arrive on site.
03 Mechanical cleaning is not simply a matter of bringing in machines
Choosing a mechanised method does not mean that site safety management requirements are relaxed.
AQ 3042—2025 includes a dedicated chapter on mechanical cleaning operations, setting requirements for the installation of cleaning equipment and facilities, inert gas protection, same-oil cleaning and water cleaning.
Site operation notes: measures must be taken to prevent knocks and crushing injuries during installation of the cleaning machine and when setting its insertion depth. Where personnel deploy hoses, cleaning machines and other equipment on the tank roof, or install connecting pipework inside and outside the tank, a task risk analysis must be carried out and appropriate precautions taken.
Under some mechanical cleaning conditions, inert gas protection is also required, together with online monitoring of gas concentrations inside the tank.
Properly regulated mechanised cleaning is therefore not simply a case of replacing people with machines. It requires equipment, process, safety monitoring and site management to form a complete operating system.
04 Tank cleaning is moving towards greater standardisation and mechanisation
Alongside AQ 3042—2025, the recommended petroleum and natural gas industry standard SY/T 6696—2025 "Code of Practice for Mechanical Cleaning of Oil Storage Tanks", administered by the National Energy Administration, took effect on 18 June 2026, superseding SY/T 6696—2014.
The way these newly implemented standards further regulate mechanical cleaning methods, job preparation and safety management shows that reducing high-risk manual work, raising the level of mechanised operation and strengthening whole-process safety management capability are becoming important directions for tank cleaning.
Tecway Industrial | Tank cleaning equipment rental and cleaning services
For companies with periodic tank inspection and cleaning requirements, Tecway Industrial offers rental of mechanised tank cleaning equipment together with supporting cleaning services, with cleaning solutions configured flexibly according to tank type, project schedule and site requirements.
For companies that do not need to own a complete cleaning system on a long-term basis, the rental model reduces one-off equipment investment. At the same time, mechanised cleaning reduces the need for personnel to enter tanks for high-risk work, improving operational efficiency while better balancing safety management and project delivery needs.
References
- Ministry of Emergency Management: AQ 3042—2025 "Safety Specification for Storage Tank Cleaning Operations in Onshore Oil and Gas Fields"
- National Public Service Platform for Standards Information: SY/T 6696—2025 "Code of Practice for Mechanical Cleaning of Oil Storage Tanks"
About Tecway Industrial
Tecway Industrial Systems Limited, formerly Tecway International (Petrochemical) Limited, was established in Hong Kong in 1995; Beijing Tecway Xuyang Industrial Equipment Co., Ltd. is its registered subsidiary in Beijing.
Tecway Industrial Systems Limited and Beijing Tecway Xuyang Industrial Equipment Co., Ltd. are mainly engaged in services related to the import of equipment for the oil and gas storage and transportation and petrochemical industries. As consultants and distributors, we carefully select and provide our customers with practical, high-quality and cost-effective solutions, sourced from reputable suppliers worldwide.