--------STORAGE TANK INSPECTIONS

Additional Information

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are around 700,000 above ground storage tanks in the United States, with capacities ranging from 500 barrels to over 500,000 barrels. Many of these tanks leak. More importantly, many tanks leak without anyone knowing about it. Tank floor failures are particularly insidious because they can leak product into the ground and groundwater for years before being detected. This can be costly both to a facility and to the environment. It is because of this danger that it is so important to conduct regular inspections of all storage tank units in a facility.

Many tank bottom corrosion and mechanical failures are caused by tanks that have settled over the years, allowing standing water to penetrate under the tank. This water ingress can cause corrosion and erode the foundation under the tank floor. Large, floating roof storage tanks are also particularly susceptible to bottom corrosion and leaks from both product-side and soil-side corrosion as they are more difficult to protect from corrosion using cathodic protection systems, plus they sometimes store more corrosive crude feed stocks.

Current federal, state, and local legislation has raised the stakes for facility owners that contaminate the environment as a result of storage tank failures. Several significant tank failures within the last few years have spawned industry standards and regulations which mandate tank integrity management and inspection programs. API STD 653,Tank Inspection, Alteration, Repair, and Reconstruction, has become the leading industry standard governing tank inspection since it’s initial release in 1991. Its requirements are targeted at maintaining the integrity of storage tanks after they have been placed into service and preventing tank content releases due to corrosion.

Wicks Inspection personnel have been professionally involved with storage tank inspection for more than 20 years. This involvement has included the following activities: