Technical Aspects of Storage

Tank Prevention

SZU-YING HUANG
M. SAM MANNAN
2013

What are storage tanks?

fundamental for the storing

of liquid, gas, and other

chemical fluids.
provide accommodation of
inventory for raw materials,
additives reactants,
intermediate materials,
finished products, and
wastes.
the first layer in contact with
chemical materials and
connected with other
process devices.

ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANKS

AST
are easy to manage
It usually stores crude oil products, intermediates,

and raw chemicals with flammable or toxic hazards

CASE OF STORAGE TANK AND TANK FARM

INCIDENT

1
What: A catastrophic tank collapse
Where: Allied Terminal Inc. Tank storage area at
Chesapeake, Virginia
When: November 2008

Allied Terminal Inc. Tank Collapse

Source: http://www.csb.gov/UserFiles/file/Allied%20Terminals%20Report%20Final.pdf

CASE OF STORAGE TANK AND TANK FARM INCIDENT

2
What: Naphtha Tank Fire
Where: Singapore
When: 1988

Naphtha Tank Fire

Source: http://www.going2sg.com/2014/09/major-fire-disasters-in-singapore.html

Tank Roof Failures

Internal Beam Rupture
Vent System Failures
Snow/Rain Topping Issue
Frangible Roof-Shell Joints
Seismic Zone Design Failure

Potential Ignition Source

Welding equipment
Cables
Static electricity
Miscellaneous sources from human error

Tank Storage Risks

TECHNICAL PROTECTION

Inerting

-reducing oxygen
concentration in tank

TECHNICAL
PROTECTION
Shunts for

floating roof
tanks
(NFPA 780)
-Stainless steel
shunts be spaced
no more than 10
feet apart around
the roof
perimeter.

TECHNICAL PROTECTION
Roof-shell

bonding cable
-Install a cable from the
top of the shell to the
middle of the roof,
typically on the order of
250 500 MCM

Note: 1000 circular mils = 1

MCM or 1 kcmil, and is
(approximately) equal to:
0.5067 mm, so 2 kcmil 1 mm (a
1.3% error)

TECHNICAL PROTECTION
Walkways

-creates roof-shell
bond

-As the floating roof

raises and falls, the
lower end of the
walkway moves
radially to
compensate for the
change in height of
the roof.

TECHNICAL PROTECTION

Overpressure and Overfilling

Each fixed tank should be provided with proper overpressure and

underpressure devices
Proper sizing of devices to take into account the worst possible
conditions
Periodic inspection of devices
Tamper-proof vents
Use Management of Change policies for alterations to be made
Tank capacity = inactive (working) capacity + overfill protection
capacity

API Standards Related to Tank

API 650 = Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage
API 651 = Cathodic Protection for Above Ground Petroleum Storage
Tanks
API 652 = Lining of Above Ground Petroleum Storage Tanks
API 653 = Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration and Reconstruction
API 620 Design and Construction of Large Welded Low Pressure

Storage Tanks
API 2000 Venting Atmosphere and Low-Pressure Storage Tanks
API 2517 Evaporating Losses from External Floating Roof Tanks
API 2519 Evaporating Losses from Internal Floating Roof Tanks
API 2350 Overall Protection for Petroleum Storage Tanks
API 2015 Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks
API 2550 Measurements and Calibration of Petroleum Storage Tanks

Mostly Required API Items (Individual

Certification Program)
API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspection Code
API 570 Piping Inspection Code
API 653 Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration and

Reconstruction

Other Codes for Storage Tanks

NFPA 30 National Fire Protection Association Flammable and Combustible

Liquids Code
EPA 40 CFR 112 Oil Pollution Prevention and Response, Non-transportation
related onshore and offshore facilities
DOT 33 CFR 154 Facilities transferring oil or hazardous materials in bulk
DOT 33 CFR 155 Oil or hazardous material pollution prevention regulations
for vessels
DOT 33 CFR 156 Oil and hazardous materials transfer operations
DOT - 49 CFR 172 Hazardous materials, provisions, communications,
emergency response, training requirements, and security plans

OSHA Standards
Guarding floor and wall openings and holes
Permit-required confined spaces
Mechanical power-transmission apparatus
Logging operations
Specifications for accident prevention signs and tags
Abrasive wheel machinery

OSHA Standards
1910 Subpart D Walking-working surfaces
Fixed Industrial stairs
1910 Subpart E Exit routes, emergency action plans, and fire

prevention plans
Emergency action plans
1910 Subpart G Occupational health and environment control
1910 Subpart H Hazardous materials
Flammable and combustible liquids
Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals
Hazardous waste and emergency response standard

How to prevent future tank loss?

Good safety integration program with installation
Code review
Operation
Maintenance
Follow-up evaluation

-Fin-

~Be Safe~