Treatment of oil sludge represents a significant expense. Tens of thousands of tons of oil sludge are generated annually from oil production, storage, refining, and transportation. The oil sludge related problem is also caused by leakage at oil tankers and oil rigs, resulting in oil contaminated sand and water polluted with oil sludge.

Proper treatment of oil sludge is essential since these waste materials are hazardous to human and environment.

The design specifications determine configuration of the pyrolysis system, i.e. whether to proceed with the oil sludge disposal and direct electricity generation or with oil condensing. Pyrolysis scheme with oil condensing may require further oil refinery.

Requirements to clean the contaminated sand and oil-water sludge after environmental catastrophes with oil tankers and rigs have led to the development of a special version of the pyrolysis system named as SOSA (Seawater-Oil-Sand). First SOSA plant was built in 1995.