Envorem secures US patent for groundbreaking oil sludge clean-up technology

Envorem is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted US Patent No. 12,370,586 for our innovative green technology that sets a new standard for environmentally friendly oily sludge remediation and clean up.

This follows the successful award of a European patent in 2023 and marks another important milestone in the international protection of our intellectual property.

The US patent, titled ‘Treatment of Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Materials’, was officially issued on 29 July 2025. It protects the core process that enables Envorem’s compact, water-based remediation system to break down hazardous oily sludge into recoverable oil, clean water and solids – without the use of chemicals or generation of emissions.

This patented system harnesses hydraulic shock and cavitation – a naturally occurring effect where microscopic bubbles collapse with enough force to fragment sludge and release trapped hydrocarbons. Envorem’s method combines these known principles into a new, highly efficient approach to an urgent global problem.

As Envorem Managing Director Mark Batt-Rawden explains: “The oil industry discards up to 1% of all extracted crude oil as sludge, much of which ends up in open pits or is incinerated. These methods are costly, slow and environmentally damaging. By cleaning and recycling the constituents of the sludge at source, our technology offers a faster, cleaner, and financially viable alternative.”

Science, Your Source for the Latest Research News, describes Envorem as “an innovative UK company” in its article Envorem granted European patent for its green solution to the environmental menace of oil sludge. This latest patent grant extends our innovation to the US and grants for other jurisdictions such as Canada, Saudi and Kuwait are underway.

A solution to a global waste problem

Oily sludge is one of the most persistent forms of waste generated by the oil production and maritime industries. It is sticky, toxic and almost impossible to easily transport. Traditional disposal options, such as incineration, release up to 1.5 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of sludge and destroy any potential for resource recovery.

Envorem’s technology reverses this:

·       It recovers up to 99% of the entrained oil, returning it to usable quality;

·       It avoids thermal treatment and emits no CO₂ during processing;

·       It is faster and more cost-effective than existing alternatives; and

·       It is scalable, compact and can be containerised for deployment close to the sludge source, removing sludge transport costs and risks.

A 2020 pilot with the national oil company of Oman validated the performance of Envorem oily sludge remediation technology in field conditions. Not only did this show a dramatic recyclability of the waste, , it proved our system to be financially viable even without including the value of recovered oil.

Since this pilot, Envorem has supported Saudi Aramco in revolutionising sludge management on location in Saudi Arabia. Our innovative technology at work at its Shaybah facility achieved an astonishing 97% waste diversion from landfill, cut CO2 emissions by 332 metric tonnes from transportation alone  and showed that in comparison to a landfill operation, costs can be reduced by circa 40% excluding the value of the recovered oil and water..

This collaboration between Envorem and Aramco has set a new standard for sustainable and efficient sludge remediation in the oil industry. It also led to a Saudi government authority issuing a licence for Envorem's technology in 2025.  This certification from The National Centre for Waste Management, (MWAN) means our technology can be used anywhere in the Sultanate for the treatment of oily sludges.  

Furthermore, our first production system with the eyewatering capacity to treat up to 100 tonnes per hour of sludge, built in Stoke on Trent  has now arrived in Saudi Arabia where it will be used to help Aramco achieve its contributions to Saudi Vision 2030 by diverting from landfill and instead, recycling oily wastes.

Global ambition, green credentials

In addition to our US and European patents, Envorem has also achieved internationally recognised standards which further demonstrate our commitment to operational excellence, environmental stewardship and the safety of our people. These include:  ISO 9001, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018.

The granting of a US patent reinforces Envorem’s commitment to delivering a practical, low-carbon alternative to oil sludge disposal, one that aligns with international goals on recycling emissions reduction and environmental responsibility. We believe the combination of financial savings, emissions avoidance and environmental restoration presents a compelling case for change in practice across the oil and gas industry. Change practice to save money and help the environment  - a true win-win

As Mark concludes: “There are billions of tonnes of legacy sludge around the world. We now have the technology to deal with it properly. This grant of our  patent in the US underpins our position as a company that is ripe for rapid scaling and growth.

For further information, collaboration enquiries or investment opportunities, please contact:
info@envorem.com