ETS Degassing designs and delivers tank degassing and vapour control systems for oil, gas, and chemical terminals worldwide. The Belgian company specialises in the controlled removal and treatment of hydrocarbon vapours from storage tanks and cargo vessels prior to maintenance, inspection, cleaning, or product changeover — an operation governed by increasingly stringent occupational safety and environmental regulations across all major terminal markets.
ETS Degassing: Company Overview
ETS Degassing is headquartered in Belgium and operates internationally, serving terminal operators, refineries, chemical plants, and shipping companies requiring compliant degassing operations. The company’s core proposition is the elimination of explosive and toxic vapour atmospheres from tank interiors, enabling safe entry for inspection, cleaning, and repair without exposing workers to hydrocarbon concentrations above occupational exposure limits.
ETS Degassing positions its services and systems at the intersection of industrial hygiene, environmental compliance, and operational efficiency. Degassing operations that formerly vented directly to atmosphere — releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding environment — are now subject to vapour recovery or thermal destruction requirements in the EU, US, and increasingly across the Middle East and Asia.
Tank Degassing Technology and Process
ETS Degassing deploys closed-loop vapour control technology that captures hydrocarbon vapours displaced during tank cleaning and degassing operations rather than releasing them to atmosphere. The recovered vapours are directed to a treatment unit — typically a vapour combustion unit (VCU) or vapour recovery unit (VRU) — where they are either thermally destroyed or recovered as reusable product.
The degassing process begins with the controlled introduction of an inert gas or fresh air flow into the tank, displacing the existing hydrocarbon vapour atmosphere. ETS Degassing systems are engineered to manage the explosive range of the vapour-air mixture throughout this displacement process, maintaining concentrations either below the lower explosive limit (LEL) or above the upper explosive limit (UEL) until the tank atmosphere is safe for entry.
The company’s mobile degassing units can be deployed rapidly to terminal locations, enabling operators to bring tanks out of service, degas, inspect, and return them to operational status within compressed timeframes. This operational flexibility is a key factor for terminal operators managing tight turnaround schedules for tank inspection programmes under API 653 and equivalent standards.
ETS Degassing and the Vapour Emissions Compliance Market
Regulatory pressure on vapour emissions from tank terminals is intensifying across all major markets. The EU’s Industrial Emissions Directive and the revised Solvent Emissions Directive require terminals handling volatile petroleum products and chemicals to control and treat vapours generated during tank filling, product transfer, and maintenance operations. ETS Degassing’s services directly address the maintenance degassing element of this compliance requirement.
In the US, EPA regulations under the Clean Air Act’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) impose equivalent controls on storage tank emissions. Terminal operators across North America are under increasing enforcement pressure to demonstrate compliant degassing and vapour control practice.
The degassing and vapour control segment sits alongside broader vapour recovery technology — covered in the Top 10 Vapour Recovery Unit Companies 2026 ranking — as a critical component of the terminal emissions control stack. ETS Degassing focuses specifically on the intermittent, maintenance-driven degassing requirement rather than continuous vapour recovery during product transfer operations.
Marine Vessel Degassing
ETS Degassing’s capability extends to cargo vessel degassing — the removal of hydrocarbon vapour atmospheres from ship cargo tanks prior to dry dock, tank entry, or product changeover. Marine degassing requirements are governed by IMO conventions and port authority regulations, with vessels required to present gas-free certificates before yard entry or hot work authorisation.
Vessel degassing operations involve larger tank volumes, more complex vapour compositions from previous cargo residues, and the logistical challenge of operating at berth or anchorage. ETS Degassing’s mobile systems are designed to handle these marine applications alongside their shore-based terminal work, giving the company cross-sector reach across the oil storage and shipping value chain.
Market Position and Sector Context
ETS Degassing competes in a specialist services and equipment segment that includes companies such as Aereon — which focuses on continuous vapour recovery and combustion technology — alongside tank cleaning specialists and environmental services contractors. The distinguishing factor for ETS Degassing is its focus on the degassing process itself rather than the broader vapour recovery equipment market.
Terminal operators evaluating emissions control capability across the full equipment and services spectrum can benchmark suppliers through resources including the Top 10 Vapour Recovery & Emissions Control Companies 2026 ranking, which covers the technology providers serving this compliance-driven market segment.
Company Snapshot
| Headquarters | Belgium |
|---|---|
| Core Services | Tank degassing, vapour control, marine vessel degassing |
| Technology | Closed-loop vapour capture, VCU/VRU treatment, mobile degassing units |
| Applications | Storage tanks, refinery vessels, chemical tanks, cargo ships |
| Key Standards | API 653, EU Industrial Emissions Directive, EPA NESHAP/NSPS, IMO |
| Market Coverage | Europe, Middle East, Asia, Americas |
| Sector | Equipment & Components — Vapour Control & Emissions |
What does ETS Degassing specialise in?
ETS Degassing specialises in tank degassing and vapour control systems for storage tanks and cargo vessels. The company’s mobile degassing units remove hydrocarbon vapour atmospheres from tank interiors prior to maintenance, inspection, cleaning, or product changeover, using closed-loop vapour capture technology to prevent atmospheric emissions.
Where does ETS Degassing operate?
ETS Degassing is headquartered in Belgium and operates internationally, serving terminal operators, refineries, chemical plants, and shipping companies across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. The company deploys mobile degassing units to customer locations worldwide.
What regulations govern tank degassing operations?
Tank degassing is subject to multiple regulatory frameworks including the EU Industrial Emissions Directive and Solvent Emissions Directive, US EPA NESHAP and NSPS standards under the Clean Air Act, and IMO conventions governing marine vessel gas-freeing. Terminal operators are required to demonstrate compliant vapour control practice during maintenance operations in all major markets.
What is the difference between tank degassing and vapour recovery?
Tank degassing is an intermittent operation that removes the hydrocarbon vapour atmosphere from a tank prior to maintenance or inspection, rendering it safe for entry. Vapour recovery is a continuous process that captures vapours displaced during normal product transfer and filling operations. Both are required for full emissions compliance at a modern terminal, but they address different operational phases.
How does ETS Degassing handle marine vessel applications?
ETS Degassing’s mobile systems are deployed to berth or anchorage to degas cargo ship tanks prior to dry dock entry, hot work, or product changeover. Marine degassing produces a gas-free certificate required by port authorities and shipyards before tank entry or repair work can proceed. The process accounts for larger tank volumes and complex residual cargo vapour compositions typical of ship cargo systems.