Robotic Pit Cleaning at IOCL Panipat

Multiple scenes showing trained refinery personnel operating the Bandicoot robotic pit-cleaning system at IOCL Panipat to remove highly viscous petroleum sludge.

Mechanical Removal of Highly Viscous Petroleum Sludge

PROJECT BACKGROUND

IOCL required a robotic solution to clean OWS and SWS pits filled with highly viscous sludge, a byproduct of petroleum refining. Traditional suction failed due to the thickness and weight of the material.

DEPLOYMENT DETAILS

130 problematic manholes cleaned.
No preventive cleaning had been done; all were critical obstructions.
Bandicoot’s mechanical arms broke and removed sludge directly.

CHALLENGES ADDRESSED

Petroleum sludge too thick for suction to extract.
Safety concerns for human entry.
Waste hardened over time due to lack of cleaning.

TECHNOLOGY IMPACT

Bandicoot’s mechanical scooping arms proved critical.
Succeeded where high-powered suction failed.
Remote operation ensured safety during high-toxicity exposure.

OUTCOME

Restored flow in 130+ critical manholes.
Proved that robotic arms outperform suction in sludge-heavy environments.
Positioning Bandicoot as a go-to for high-viscosity waste pits.