Storage Tank Basics 18.09.19

BASICS OF STORAGE TANKS
For the benefit of business and people

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Types of Tanks
 Basics Designing of Tank
 References of Codes
 Tank Shell Evaluation
 Tank Bottom Evaluation
 Tank Roof Evaluation
 Tank Foundation Evaluation
 Frequency of Inspection
 Types of Inspection
 Repair of Shell, Bottom & Roof
• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

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INTRODUCTION
Tanks have been around since the beginning of hydrocarbon production. Tanks vary
considerably, in the type and size based on the type of products to be stored and the volume
involved.
The failure of a tank can have several undesirable effects such as endangering personnel,
affecting the environment and interrupting the Operator’s business.
Companies therefore, require a consistent approach for assessing tank integrity and
maintaining compliance with industry and regulatory standards, (that is community
requirements). Such an approach must
 Ensure tanks are not leaking and will not leak before next inspection
 Reduce the potential for releases
 Maintain tanks in safe operating conditions, and
 Make repairs and determine when replacement is necessary.
 Identify areas of degradation before failure occurs.

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INTRODUCTION
 Storage Tanks are the large-sized underground or aboveground cylindrical/spherical
metallic construction installed at the site.
 Nonmetallic Tanks of smaller capacities are used for water, acids storage etc.
Why is it Required?
Used to receive and hold raw material, intermediates & finished Products.

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INTRODUCTION
Broadly, the storage tanks can be divided into two basic types:
 Atmospheric storage
Atmospheric tanks are designed to operate at pressures ranging from the pressure of the
atmosphere, itself, through 2.5 psig. The pressure measurement is made at the top of the
liquid. Typically, atmospheric tanks are vented directly to the surrounding atmosphere. Tanks
used in this category are primarily the open top, fixed roof (cone & dome) and floating roof.
 Pressurized storage
Pressurized storage applies to those vessels (above ground / mounded bullets) which are
designed to withstand pressure sufficient to keep the liquid stored, from vaporizing. High vapor
pressure hydrocarbons such as propane, butane are the types of products requiring
pressurized storage vessels (above ground / Mounded Bullets). For storing liquids from 2.5
psig to 15 psig cylindrical above ground storage tanks are used, which are designed as per
API 620.
Note: STORAGE TANK TRAINING, will basically focus on aboveground vertical storage tanks.

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ABOVE GROUND STORAGE TANKS
 TYPES OF TANKS & LIQUIDS
 VERTICAL TANKS
 Open Roof Tanks
 Fixed-roof Tanks
 Floating Roof Tanks
 LIQUIDS
Volatile and Non-volatile
 Volatile product convert to vapours even at room temperature. They have aroma and
can easily be extracted by distillation. They have high refractive index and are optically
active. Eg. Gasoline, Naptha
 Non volatile product do not evaporate at room temperature. They have low refractive
index and are optically inactive. Eg. Glycerine, Mercury

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OPEN ROOF TANKS
This type of tank has no roof and shall be used for storing
 City water
 Fire water and
 Cooling water.

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FIXED ROOF TANKS
The fixed-roof tank is the least expensive to construct and is generally considered
the minimum acceptable equipment for storing liquids. It has a fixed roof and
typically used for low volatilities and flash point.
Types of Fixed roof tank:-

 Cone Roof Tank
 Umbrella Roof Tank
 Dome Roof Tank

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS
Types of Floating Roof Tanks :
 External Floating Roof
 Internal Floating Roof

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS
A typical external floating roof tank consists of an open-topped cylindrical steel shell
equipped with a roof that floats on the surface of the stored liquid, rising and falling with the
liquid level. Floating roof decks are constructed of welded steel plates and are of three
general types: pan, pontoon, and double deck
 Types of Floating deck :
 Annular Pontoon Floating Roof Tank
 Pan Type Floating Roof Tank
 Double Deck Floating Roof Tank

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS
 Pan type:
 Single-deck roof
 Upstanding rim for the roof floating characteristics.
 Deck & rim for buoyancy.

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS
AUTOMATIC BLEEDER
VENT
 Single Deck Pontoon type:
 Better Buoyancy and stability

 Suitable for cold and hot climates
 Suitable for considerable water Load

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS
 Double Deck Pontoon type:
 Upper and lower deck separated by bulkheads and trusses.
 Superior load capacity and insulating characteristics.
 Suitable for all types of products in all climates.

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FLOATING ROOF TANKS
This tanks has both, a permanent fixed roof
and a floating roof inside. There are two
basic types of internal floating roof tanks
• Tanks in which the fixed roof is supported

by vertical columns within the tank.
• Tanks with a self-supporting fixed roof and

no internal support columns.
• Internal floating roof tank is a kind of

environmental protection and economy
storage tank, in which equipped with a
floating roof, floating up and down with the
increase or decrease of the stored liquid,
generally, floating roofs are made of
lightweight materials, such as aluminium and
stainless steel.
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BASIS OF SELECTION

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BASIS OF SELECTION

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BASIS OF SELECTION
 SELECTION BASED ON SAFETY CONSIDERATION
As per OISD Standards-118
 Aggregate Capacity of tanks located in one dyke enclosure :
- 60,000 m3 for a group of fixed roof tanks.
- 120,000m3 for a group of floating roof tanks.
 The tank height not exceed one & half times the diameter or 20 m
whichever is less.
Where,
Separation Distance Between Storage Tanks Within a Dyke
D = Diameter of Larger Tank.
d = Diameter of Smaller Tank.

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BASIS OF SELECTION

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STORAGE CAPACITY

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TYPES OF FLOATING ROOF SEALS

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REFERENCES
 API 650 – Welded Tanks For Oil Storage
 API 651 – Cathodic Protection For Aboveground Storage Tank
 AI 652 – Lining Of Aboveground Petroleum Storage Tank Bottom
 API 653 – Tank Inspection, Repairs, Alteration & Reconstruction
 API 571 – Damage Mechanism Affecting Fixed Equipment In The Refining Industry
 API 575 – Inspection Practices For Atmosphere And Low Pressure Storage Tanks
 ASME SEC V – Non-destruction Examination
 ASME SEC IX – Welding & Brazing Qualification
 OISD STD 129 – Inspection Of Storage Tanks
 IS 803 - Code of Practice for Design, Fabrication and Erection of Vertical Mild Steel
Cylindrical Welded Oil Storage Tanks

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DESIGN CODE – API 650
 Oil Storage Tanks (welded construction, above ground, Cylindrical,
Vertical, Closed and open top)
 Tank bottom - uniformly supported.
 Service: Non-refrigerated service.
 Max design temp : 93°C (200°F) or less.
 Internal pressures app. atm pressure. (pressure not to exceed to weight
of the roof)
 Higher internal pressure & Temperature with additional requirements.

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CONSTRUCTION CODE
 PROVIDES MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR
 Material,
 Design,
 Fabrication,
 Erection and
 Inspection at the time of construction

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ANNEXURES
• Annex A provides alternative simplified design requirements for tanks where the
stressed components, such as shell plates and reinforcing plates, are limited to a
maximum nominal thickness of 12.5 mm (1/2 in.), including any corrosion
allowance
• Annex AL provides requirements for aluminium tanks.
• Annex B provides recommendations for the design and construction of
foundations for flat-bottom oil storage tanks.
• Annex C provides minimum requirements for pontoon-type and double-deck-type
external floating roofs.
• Annex D provides requirements for submission of technical inquiries regarding
this standard.
• Annex E provides minimum requirements for tanks subject to seismic loading. An
alternative or supplemental design may be mutually agreed upon by the
Manufacturer and the Purchaser.
• Annex F provides requirements for the design of tanks subject to a small internal
pressure.
• Annex G provides requirements for aluminium dome roofs.
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ANNEXURES
• Annex H provides minimum requirements that apply to an internal floating roof
in a tank with a fixed roof at the top of the tank shell.
• Annex I provides acceptable construction details that may be specified by the
Purchaser for design and construction of tank and foundation systems that
provide leak detection and subgrade protection in the event of tank bottom
leakage, and provides for tanks supported by grillage.
• Annex J provides requirements covering the complete shop assembly of tanks
that do not exceed 6 m (20 ft) in diameter.
• Annex K provides a sample application of the variable-design-point method
• Annex L provides the Data Sheet and the Data Sheet instructions for listing
required information to be used by the Purchaser and the Manufacturer. The
use of the Data Sheet is mandatory, unless waived by the Purchaser.
• Annex M provides requirements for tanks with a maximum design temperature
exceeding 93 °C (200 °F) but not exceeding 260 °C (500 °F).
• Annex N provides requirements for the use of new or unused plate and pipe
materials that are not completely identified with any listed specification
• Annex O : Under-bottom connections for storage tanks.
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ANNEXURES
• Annex P : design of shell openings subject to external piping loads.
• Annex R provides references to various industry documents and publications that
provide additional guidance for both specific design and material selection
considerations to reduce or prevent accelerated corrosion
• Annex S provides requirements for stainless steel tanks.
• Annex SC provides requirements for mixed material tanks using stainless steel
(including austenitic and duplex) and carbon steel in the same tank
• Annex T summarizes the requirements for examination by method of examination
and the reference sections within the standard.
• Annex U provides requirements covering the substitution of ultrasonic
examination in lieu of radiographic examination.
• Annex V provides additional requirements for tanks that are designed for external
pressure (vacuum) loading greater than 0.25 kPa (1 in. water).
• Annex W provides recommendations covering commercial and documentation
issues. Alternative or supplemental requirements may be mutually agreed upon by
the Manufacturer and the Purchaser.
• Annex X provides requirements for duplex stainless steel tanks.
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DEFINITIONS
 PROJECTION PLATES
The projection of the bottom plate beyond
the outside toe of the shell-to-bottom weld shell.
 BREAK OVER POINT:
The area on a tank bottom where settlement

begins.

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DEFINITIONS
 CRITICAL ZONE
The portion of the tank bottom or annular plate within 3” of the inside
edge of the shell, measured radially inward.
 REPAIR
Work necessary to maintain or restore a tank to a condition suitable for

safe operation.
 Major repairs
 Other repairs. Examples :
a) removal and replacement of material portion (such as roof, shell, or

bottom material, including weld metal) to maintain tank integrity;
b) re-leveling and/or jacking of a tank shell, bottom, roof adding or

replacing re-pads (or portions thereof) to existing shell penetrations;
repair of flaws, (tears or gouges- by grinding and/or gouging followed by
welding).

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DEFINITIONS
 DESIGN THICKNESS
The thickness necessary to satisfy tension and compression strength requirements by the
design standard or, in the absence of such expressions, by good and acceptable engineering
practice for specified design conditions, without regard to construction limitations or corrosion
allowances.
 CORRODED THICKNESS
A design condition equal to the nominal thickness less any specified corrosion allowance.
 CORROSION ALLOWANCE
Any additional thickness specified by the Purchaser for corrosion during the tank service life.

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DEFINITIONS
 MAJOR ALTERATION/OR MAJOR REPAIR
 Installing a shell penetration larger than NPS 12” beneath the design liquid level;
 Installing a bottom penetration within 12” of the shell.
 Removing and replacing or adding a shell plate beneath the design liquid level where the
longest dimension of the replacement plate exceeds 12”

 Removing or replacing annular plate ring material where the longest dimension of the
replacement plate exceeds 12”.

 Complete or partial (more than one-half of the weld thickness) removal and replacement
of more than 12” of vertical weld joining shell plates or radial weld joining the annular
plate ring.
 Removing and replacing part of the weld attaching the shell to the bottom, or to the
annular plate ring, in excess of the amounts specified in the code.

 Jacking a tank shell.

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MATERIALS
 PLATES
General materials used for tank fabrication are

• Carbon Steel A-36, A283, A285, A516 Etc.
• Mild Steel- IS2062 Grade A Etc.
• Stainless Steel – SS316L Etc.
 PLATE MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS
 ASTM Specifications
 CSA Specifications
 ISO Specifications
 EN Specifications
 National Standards

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DESIGN OF SHELL
The shell thickness shall be greater of

 the design shell thickness plus CA. or
 the hydrostatic test shell thickness,
But the thickness shall not be less than the values given in the table below
Unless otherwise agreed to by the Purchaser, the shell plates shall have a
minimum nominal width of 1800 mm (72 in).

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DESIGN OF SHELL
Shell Thickness Calculations Methods

 1 Foot Method
 Applicable for Tanks diameter < = 61 m (200’)
 Variable Design Point Method

 L /H <= 1000/6
where
 Elastic Analysis
L equals (500 Dt)0.5, in mm;
 L /H > 1000/6 D is the tank diameter, in m;
t is the bottom-course corroded shell thickness, in
mm;
H is the maximum design liquid level in m.

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DESIGN OF SHELL
td is the design shell thickness, in mm;

tt is the hydrostatic test shell thickness, in mm;
D is the nominal tank diameter, in m
H is the design liquid level, in m;
G is the design specific gravity of the liquid to be stored, as specified by the Purchaser;
CA is the corrosion allowance, in mm,
Sd is the allowable stress for the design condition, in MPa
The design stress basis, Sd, shall be either two-thirds the yield strength or two-fifths
the tensile strength, whichever is less.
St is the allowable stress for the hydrostatic test condition, in MPa

The hydrostatic test basis shall be either three-fourths the yield strength or three-
sevenths the tensile strength, whichever is less.
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DESIGN OF SHELL

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DESIGN OF SHELL

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DESIGN OF BOTTOM PLATES
Bottom/ Floor design – Designed to, permit complete drawoff, minimize product contact
and to utilize maximum tank capacity and prevention of corrosion of bottom plate.
Cone down bottom (Bottom down)
Generally, bottom down is design for cone roof tanks. Centre of the flooring is installed with
drain pit. Water in the tank is accumulated in the pit (lowest point of the bottom plate/ floor).
Cone up bottom (bottom up)

Generally, this type of design is used for floating-roof tanks, 3 to 4 collector pits are
installed, close to the shell plate.
Each of the pit is provided with a water draw-off line.

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 Minimum nominal thickness shall be 6 mm (0.236 in.) exclusive of CA.

 Unless agreed to by the Purchaser, all rectangular and sketch plates shall have a
minimum nominal width of 1800 mm (72 in.)
 Projection beyond the outside the shell plate shall be at least 50 mm (2 in.).
Note: In the case of low type re-pad, the projection beyond the toe of the fillet weld
shall be a minimum of 13 mm
13 mm

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DESIGN OF ANNULAR BOTTLE PLATE

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LAP WELDED BOTTOM PLATES

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DRIP RING

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DESIGN OF SHELL NOZZLES

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DESIGN OF ROOF PLATES
 Roof plates – full fillet welds on the top side. Butt-welds are also permitted.
 Frangible roofs: Roof plates to top angle- fillet welded on the top side only.
 The top-angle sections, tension rings, and compression rings shall be by full
penetration butt-welds.
 Self-supporting roofs (cone, dome, or umbrella) the edges of the roof plates may be
flanged horizontally to rest flat against the top angle to improve welding conditions.
(manufacturer’s option).
 Tank diameter ≤ 9 m (30 ft) and a cone roof, the top edge of the shell may be flanged
in lieu of installing a top angle.

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CATHODIC PROTECTION
 CATHODIC PROTECTION IN STORAGE TANK (API 651)
The purpose of this recommended practice (RP) is to present procedures and practices for
achieving effective corrosion control on aboveground storage tank bottoms through the use of
cathodic protection. This RP contains provisions for the application of cathodic protection to
existing and new aboveground storage tanks. Corrosion control methods based on chemical
control of the environment or the use of protective coatings are not covered in detail.
 TYPES OF CATHODIC PROTECTION
Cathodic Protection With Galvanic System :- Galvanic systems use a metal more active
than the structure to be protected to supply the current required to mitigate corrosion. The
more active metal is called an anode, commonly referred to as a “galvanic anode.” The anode
is electrically connected to the structure to be protected and buried in the soil. A galvanic
corrosion cell develops and the active metal anode corrodes (is sacrificed) while the metal
structure (cathode) is protected. Metals commonly used as galvanic anodes in soil are
magnesium and zinc in either cast or ribbon form. The anodes are usually distributed around
the perimeter of the tank or preferably buried beneath the tank bottom. Galvanic systems are
normally applied only to small diameter tanks [e.g. less than 20 ft (7 m)] or for tanks with
externally coated bottoms.

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CATHODIC PROTECTION

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CATHODIC PROTECTION
 Impressed Current Systems
The second method of applying cathodic protection to an aboveground storage tank bottom
is to use impressed current from an external source. Impressed current systems use direct
current usually provided by a rectifier attached to an AC power source. The rectifier converts
alternating current to direct current. Direct current from the rectifier flows to the buried
impressed current anode, from the anode through the soil electrolyte, and onto the tank
bottom as shown in Figure below.

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TYPE OF WELDS
 JOINTS
 There are five different types of welded joints for bringing two parts together for joining.
 Five types of welded joints are butt joint, corner joint, lap joint, tee-joint and edge joint.

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TYPE OF WELDS
 Butt joint : Butt welded type, the parts lie in the same plane and are joined at their
edges.
 Corner joint: The parts in a corner joint form a right angle and are joined at the center
of the angle.
 Lap joint: Lap joint consists of two overlapping parts.
 Tee-joint: Tee-joint, one joint is the right angle to the other joint in the approximate
shape of the letter “T”.
 Edge joint: The parts in edge joint are parallel with at least one of their edges in
common and the joint is made at the common edge(s).

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WELDING
 Welding Procedure Specification (WPS). :- A WPS is a written qualified welding

procedure prepared to provide direction for making production welds to Code requirement.
The WPS or other documents may be used to provide direction to the welder or welding
operator to assure compliance with the Code requirements.
 Procedure Qualification Record (PQR). The PQR is a record of variables

recorded during the welding of the test coupons. It also contains the test results of the
tested specimens. Recorded variables normally fall within a small range of the actual
variables that will be used in production welding.
 BASIC WELDING PROCESS USED IN TANKS

1. SMAW
2. GTAW

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WELDING
 Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
SMAW is the most widely used of the various arc welding processes. SMAW uses an arc
between a covered electrode and the weld pool. It employs the heat of the arc, coming from
the tip of a consumable covered electrode, to melt the base metal. Shielding is provided from
the decomposition of the electrode covering, without the application of pressure and with filler
metal from the electrode. Either alternating current (ac) or direct current (dc) may be
employed, depending on the welding power supply and the electrode selected. A constant-
current (CC) power supply is preferred. SMAW is a manual welding process. See Figure 1
and Figure 2 for schematics of the SMAW circuit and welding process.

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WELDING

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WELDING

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WELDING
 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
GTAW is an arc welding process that uses an arc between a non-consumable tungsten
electrode and the weld pool. The process is commonly referred to as TIG (tungsten inert
gas) or Heli arc welding, and is used with a shielding gas and without the application of
pressure. GTAW can be used with or without the addition of filler metal. The constant
current (CC) type power supply can be either dc or ac, and depends largely on the metal
to be welded. Direct current welding is typically performed with the electrode negative
(DCEN) polarity. DCEN welding offers the advantages of deeper penetration and faster
welding speeds. Alternating current provides a cathodic cleaning (sputtering) that
removes refractory oxides from the surfaces of the weld joint, which is necessary for
welding aluminium and magnesium. The cleaning action occurs during the portion of the
ac wave, when the electrode is positive with respect to the work piece. See Figure 3 and
Figure 4 for schematics of the GTAW equipment and welding process.

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WELDING

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WELDING

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WELDING
 WELDING ELECTRODE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

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WELDING
E 60 1 10
Electrode Tensile Strength Position Type of Coating
and Current
The next to last digit indicates position. The "1" designates an all position electrode, "2" is for
flat and horizontal positions only; while "4" indicates an electrode that can be used for flat,
horizontal, vertical down and overhead. The last 2 digits taken together indicate the type of
coating and the correct polarity or current to use. See chart below:

Digit Type of Coating Welding Current
0 High cellulose sodium DC+
1 High cellulose potassium AC, DC+ or DC-
2 High titania sodium AC, DC-
3 High titania potassium AC, DC+
4 Iron powder, titania AC, DC+ or DC-
5 Low hydrogen sodium DC+
6 Low hydrogen potassium AC, DC+
7 High iron oxide, iron powder AC, DC+ or DC-
8 Low hydrogen potassium, iron powder AC, DC+ or DC-

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WELDING
 TYPES OF WELDING POSITIONS

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TANK CALIBRATION
WHAT IS TANK CALIBRATION?

Process by which the volume in a tank in relation to the liquid height (up to maximum fill
height) is established.
 TYPES OF CALIBRATION METHOD GENERALLY USED

 Manual Strapping.
 Optical Reference Line Method (ORLM)
 Optical Triangulation Method (OTM)
 Electro Optical Distance Ranging Method (EODR)
 Liquid Calibration

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TANK CALIBRATION
 Following operational parameters must be supplied by the tank owners

to the calibration contractor
 Product Temperature
 Product Gravity
 Roof Leg Position for FR
Zone needed for FR to float fully from rest position (no custody gauging in this
zone)
 Ambient Temperature
 Maximum Fill Height ( depends on safety rules)
These must not be decided by or assumed by the calibration contractor.

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TANK CALIBRATION – MANUAL METHOD

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TANK CALIBRATION - ORLM

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TANK CALIBRATION - OTM

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TANK CALIBRATION - EODR

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TANK FOUNDATION
 Earth foundation without a ringwall

When subsurface conditions shows adequate bearing capacity and that settlements will
be acceptable, satisfactory foundations may be constructed from earth material.
Design for satisfactory long-term performance are:
For small tanks, foundations can consist of compacted crushed stone, screenings, fine
gravel, clean sand, or similar material placed directly on virgin soil.
 Earth foundations with a concrete ringwall
Large Tanks with heavy or tall shell and/or self-supported roofs impose a substantial load
on the foundation under the shell. When there is some doubt whether a foundation will be
able to carry the load directly, a concrete ringwall foundation should be used.
• The ringwall shall not be less than 300 mm (12 in) thick
• Depth of ringwall depends on the local conditions
 Earth foundations with a crushed stone and gravel ringwall

A crushed stone or gavel ringwall will provide adequate support for high load imposed by the
shell.
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TANK FOUNDATION
Earth type foundation

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TANK FOUNDATION
Reinforced concrete ring wall foundation which is not placed under the shell
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TANK FOUNDATION
Reinforced concrete ring wall foundation

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TANK FOUNDATION
Reinforced concrete slab

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RELEASE PREVENTION BARRIER (RPB)
 Tank Foundation for Leaks
API supports a general position of installing a Release Prevention Barrier (RPB) under
new tanks during initial construction. An RPB includes steel bottoms, synthetic materials,
clay liners, and all other barriers or combination of barriers placed in the bottom of or
under an aboveground storage tank, which have the following functions:
• preventing the escape of released material and
• containing or channelling released material for leak detection

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Purpose: to maintain tank integrity/protect the environment. These include:
 Internal inspection of tank bottom;
 Leak detection systems and leak testing of the tank;
 Cathodic protection
 Lining interior
 Providing a release prevention barrier (RPB) or
 Combination of these measures, depending on the operating environment and service
Internal Inspection
To assess the bottom integrity and identify conditions that may lead to future loss of integrity.
Leak Detection Systems and Leak Testing

Purpose to identify, quantify, and/or locate a tank bottom failure not detectable visually.
Release Prevention Barriers (RPBs)

Steel bottoms, synthetic materials, clay liners, concrete pads, etc. placed under a tank,

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SUITABILITY OF SERVICE
 Purpose of assessment:
• To ensure suitability for continued /change of
service. Internal Corrosion
• To make decisions - repairs, alterations,
dismantling, relocation or reconstruction.
 Factors to be considered in the

assessment
Internal corrosion (product/water at the
bottom)
External corrosion. External Corrosion
Stress levels and allowable stress levels;
Properties of products: specific gravity,
temperature, and corrosivity MDMT.

Roof - live load, wind, and seismic load.
Foundation, soil, and settlement.
Chemical/mechanical properties of tank Cracks
material.
Distortions of the existing tank
Operating conditions-rate/frequency of
filling/emptying.
Settlement

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TANK ROOF EVALUATION
 Repair is required when
INSPECTION
 Roof is corroded to an average thickness < 0.09” in
(2.28 mm) any 100 sq inch area.
 There is a through hole in the plates.
 Fixed roof support members (rafters, girders, columns,

and bases) shall be inspected for soundness.
 Rolling ladder, perimeter seals, water drain systems and
venting systems shall be evaluated for repairs.
 Pontoons shall be checked for traces of product.
 Weld joints shall be checked for cracks.
 Hand railing, walk way & other appurtenances shall be

checked for soundness.
Useful NDE: Visual, Ultrasonic ,Pit Depth Gauge

measurement, Dye Penetrant Testing & Vacuum Box
Testing.

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TANK SHELL EVALUATION
 General uniform corrosion & localized corrosion.
INSPECTION
 Isolated minor pitting corrosion is not a concern.
 Distortions
 out-of-roundness, buckled areas, flat spots, and peaking and banding at welded
joints.
 Caused due to foundation settlement, high wind, poor shell fabrication or repair
techniques, over-or under pressure.
 Flaws
 arc strikes, gouges, or tears from temporary attachment welds must be

evaluated
 Wind girders & shell stiffeners
 Shell welds
 Corrosion & pitting
 Shell Penetrations
 Dimpling, Weld Spacing distance, reinforcement extent, & thickness of

components
Bureau Veritas 86
 Evaluation of general or localized corrosion
INSPECTION
The average thickness shall be taken for a critical length as determined by the below
formula:
L = 3.7 √Dt2 , but not more than 40 in.
L is the maximum vertical length, in inches

t2 is the least thickness, in inches, in an area of corrosion, exclusive of pits
D is the tank diameter, in feet

Tank can be used for continued operation if the thickness of corroded area is :
 tavg ≥ tmin plus CA
 t2 ≥ 60 % of tmin plus CA

Bureau Veritas 87
 Evaluation of widely scattered pitting INSPECTION
 Pit depth < one-half minimum thickness of shell.
 Sum of pits dimensions ≤ 2-in. in an 8-in length.
 Minimum thickness of shell calculation

upto 200’
 minimum thickness of an entire shell course:
tmin = [2.6 (H-1)DG] / SE
 minimum thickness at a locally thinned area or
any other location of interest.
tmin = [2.6 HDG] / SE
tmin = minimum acceptable thickness

D = nominal dia. of tank, in feet.
G = highest specific gravity of the contents
H = height from the bottom of the shell course Useful NDE: Visual,
under consideration to maximum liquid level Ultrasonic, Pit depth
S = max. allowable stress in psi
measurement, DPT, MPT
E = the original joint efficiency for the tank

Bureau Veritas 88
TANK BOTTOM EVALUATION
 To prevent leakage causing environmental damage.
 Aspect of corrosion phenomena and other potential leak or failure mechanism must be
examined.
 Excessive foundation settlements affect the integrity of shells and bottoms.
 Monitoring the settlement is a recognized practice to assess the integrity.
 Causes of bottom failure
 internal pitting and pitting rates
 corrosion of weld joints (weld and heat affected zone)
 stresses placed on the bottom plates by roof support loads and shell settlement
 underside corrosion (normally in the form of pitting)
 inadequate drainage resulting in surface water flowing under the tank bottom
 the lack of an annular plate ring when required
 uneven settlement that results in high localized stresses in the bottom plates

Bureau Veritas 89
 roof support columns or other supports welded to the tank bottom where adequate
INSPECTION
allowance for movement was not made;
 rock or gravel foundation pads with inadequately filled-in surface voids
 nonhomogeneous fill under the tank bottom (e.g. a lump of clay in a sand foundation
pad)
 inadequately supported sumps.
Useful NDE: Visual, MFL, Ultrasonic, Pit depth measurement, Vacuum Box, MPT

Bureau Veritas 90
 Minimum Thickness for Tank Bottom Plate
INSPECTION
MRT = (Minimum of RTbc or RTip) – Or (StPr + UPr)
MRT is the minimum remaining thickness at the end of interval Or
Or is the in-service interval of operation (years to next internal inspection)
RTbc is the minimum remaining thickness from bottom side corrosion after repairs
RTip is the minimum remaining thickness from internal corrosion after repairs
StPr is the maximum rate of corrosion not repaired on the top side.
UPr is the maximum rate of corrosion on the bottom side.
However the minimum thickness of the bottom plate shall be as mentioned in the table unless
a stress analysis is performed:

Bureau Veritas 91
 Minimum Thickness for Projection Plate
INSPECTION
 Projection of the bottom plate beyond the outside toe of the shell-to-bottom weld
shell shall be at least 3/8 in.
 Thickness of the projection shall not be less than 0.1 in.
 Minimum Thickness for Annular Plate Ring
Annular Bottom Plate Thicknesses (in.) (Product Specific Gravity < 1.0)

Bureau Veritas 92
QUESTIONS
Q1. Find the minimum acceptable shell plate INSPECTION

thickness of the
first course of an existing AST?
tmin= Minimum acceptable thickness?
D = Nominal diameter of tank, in feet =120
H= Height of tank in feet = 48
G= Specific gravity of contents = 1
S= Maximum allowable stress = 21000
E= Joint efficiency of tank = 0.85
Tmin = 2.6 (H-1)DG/SE

= 2.6(48-1)120x1/21000x)0.85
= 14664/17850
= 0.822 Inch.
= 20.87mm
Bureau Veritas 93
QUESTIONS
Q2. Find the corrosion rate of an AST given the following

INSPECTION
information.
Original thickness = .875”
Measured thickness = .625
Years since last thickness measurement = 11
=0.875-0.625/11
=0.023inch
=0.58mm/year.

Bureau Veritas 94
QUESTIONS
Q3. Using the corrosion rate determined in problem number 2,

INSPECTION
what would the remaining life expectancy of this tank be if the
minimum required thickness is 0.436”?
=
= 0.625-0.436/0.023
= 8.22 Years.

Bureau Veritas 95
TANK FOUNDATION EVALUATION
 Principal causes of foundation deterioration
INSPECTION
 Settlement
 erosion,
 cracking, and
 deterioration of concrete initiated by:
• calcining (loss of water of hydration),
• attack by underground water,
• attack by frost, and
• attack by alkalies and acids.
 Distortion of anchor bolts and excessive cracking of the concrete structures in
which they are embedded may be indications of either serious foundation
settlement or a tank overpressure uplift condition.

Bureau Veritas 97
TANK SETTLEMENT

Bureau Veritas 98
TANK SETTLEMENT

Bureau Veritas 99
TANK FOUNDATION EVALUATION
 Types of Tank Foundation Settlement
INSPECTION
 Shell Settlement
 Uniform settlement
 Rigid body tilting of the tank
 Out-of plane settlement
 Edge Settlement
 Bottom Settlement Near the Tank Shell
 Localized Bottom Settlement Remote from the Tank Shell

Bureau Veritas 100
QUESTIONS
Q5. Shell settlement evaluation measurements are to be taken

INSPECTION
on a 146 feet diameter AST. Given the following formula, how
many elevation measurements would be required?
N=D/10
N=146/10
N=14.6
N=15.

Bureau Veritas 101
SHELL DISTORTIONS
 Shell distortions: INSPECTION
1. Out-of-roundness,
2. Buckled areas,
3. Flat spots, (measured in vertical plane)
 Causes of shell distortions:

1. Foundation settlement,
2. Over or under pressuring,
3. High wind,
4. Poor shell fabrication, or repair techniques, etc.
Shell distortions shall be evaluated on an individual basis.

Bureau Veritas 102
SHELL TOLERANCES
 Plumbness
The maximum out-of-plumbness of the top of the shell relative INSPECTION
to the bottom of the shell
shall not exceed 1/100 of the total tank height, with a maximum of 5 in. The 1/100 criteria,
with a maximum of 5 in., shall also apply to fixed roof columns. For tanks with internal
floating roofs, apply the criteria of this section or API 650, Section 7.5.2, and API
650,Section H.4.1.1, whichever is more stringent.
 Roundness
Radii measured at 1 ft above the shell-to-bottom weld shall not exceed the tolerances as
shown in table below.
Radius tolerances measured higher than one foot above the shell-to-bottom weld shall
not exceed three times the tolerances given in Table below.

Bureau Veritas 103
SHELL TOLERANCES
INSPECTION
Tool for Measuring Peaking
 PEAKING
With a horizontal sweep board 36-in. long, peaking shall not exceed 1/2 in. The sweep
board shall be made to the true outside radius of the tank.
 BANDING
With a vertical sweep board 36-in. long, banding shall not exceed 1 in.

Bureau Veritas 104
SHELL TOLERANCES
INSPECTION
Tool for Measuring Peaking Banding Horizontal Joints
R, (as built )
Peaking Tool
Peaking Tool
Gap to be measured
Gap to be measured
not exceed 13 mm
Banding Tool
sweep
Tank Shell
Tank Shell

Bureau Veritas 105
COMMON DEFECTS
► Uniform Corrosion INSPECTION

► Corrosion- Erosion
► Buckling and Tilting
► Porosity
► Cracks in Weld / Metal Surface
► Uniform or Localized Pitting, Thinning of Metal And Perforations
► Mechanical Gouges
► Bend In Supports (Bracing, Rafters, Cross Angles)
► Foundation Deterioration
► Paint Peel Off and Paint Blisters

Bureau Veritas 106
GENERAL CORROSION & LTA
 General Corrosion
Uniform Metal loss on the surface of the plates.
• Occurs due to : -
- Atmospheric conditions,
- Process parameters
- Ageing &
- Corrosive chemicals.
 LTA (Localized Thin Area)
• Corrosion under insulation (CUI)

• Erosion/Corrosion
• Crevice corrosion
• Excessive grinding of wall thickness
• Use of non standard practices during fabrication.

Bureau Veritas 107
PITTING
 Pitting
Pitting is defined as a localized regions of metal loss that can be characterized by a pit
diameter on the order of the plate thickness or less, and a pit depth that is less than the plate
thickness.
• Form of localized corrosion by which cavities or holes are produced
• Difficult to detect , predict and design
• Damage to protective coatings or passive film layers
• Can cause a catastrophic failure.

Bureau Veritas 108
EROSION CORROSION
 Internal corrosion due to the

product stored or water bottoms
 External corrosion due to

environmental exposure (marine
& high sulphur zone)
 Properties of the stored product

such as specific gravity,
temperature, and Corrosivity
 Operating conditions such as

filling/emptying rates and
frequency

Bureau Veritas 109
CRACKS
 Cracking mechanisms are possible,
including stress corrosion cracking

(SCC) and caustic corrosion cracking.
 Cracks formed due to deficiencies in
design, fabrication, and maintenance
 Cracks in lower shell-to-sketch-plate or
shell-to-bottom due to higher stresses

Bureau Veritas 110
WELD MISALIGNMENT & SHELL DISTORTION
• Deviation of shell from its ideal

geometry either in longitudinal or
circumferential directions which
exceeds the deviation permitted in the
applicable code.
• Weld misalignment may due to the
fabrication errors.
• Operation upsets.
• Improper operation of the vessel, tank
& pipe.
Bureau Veritas 111
MECHANICAL GOUGES & DENT
 DENT
• An inward or outward deviation of a cross-
section of a shell member from an ideal
shell geometry that is characterized by a
small local radius or notch which is caused
due to pressure or a blow.
 GOUGES
• Removal/or relocation of thickness of
material from the surface of the
component due to mechanical means
that result in reduction of wall thickness.
• Length of a gouge is greater than the
width and the geometry is similar to that
of the groove.

Bureau Veritas 112
ROOF STRUCTURE DAMAGES
 Due to Over loading on roof

 Poor Fabrication Practices
 Product Corrosion
 Poor Operation

Bureau Veritas 113
FOUNDATION DAMAGES
 Repair the Concrete Foundation
 Seal the gap between projection

plate and foundation which may
cause underside bottom corrosion

Bureau Veritas 114
PAINT DAMAGES
 Non standard paint application
method
 Sagging Formation
 Dust, clay, sand and foreign
material inclusion during painting
 Marine environment

Bureau Veritas 115
LAMINATIONS
• Produced during the manufacturing

process of the steel
• Aligned parallel to the worked surface
of the metal
• Presence may reduce the strength of
the plate
• Act as sites for diffusing hydrogen to
accumulate.

Bureau Veritas 116
HYDROGEN DAMAGES
Hydrogen Blisters Hydrogen Induced Cracking
• Caused due to accumulation of

hydrogen at the imperfections like
• Carbon steel plates exposed to an
laminations or inclusions
aqueous phase containing hydrogen
• Characterized by physical bulging on
sulfide, cyanides, hydrofluoric acid, or
the surface of the steel in the form of
other species which charge atomic
blisters due to high pressure build up
hydrogen into the steel.
that causes local stresses which
• Referred also as step wise cracking
exceed the yield strength of the
since the morphology show steps
material.
between cracks which are interlinked.
• Corrosive environment like wet H2S or
hydrofluoric acid.

Bureau Veritas 117
BRITTLE FRACTURE
• Thickness of material
• Change in Process operating
conditions
• Mainly effects during start-up,
shutdowns.
• Hydrostatic test where temperatures
are low
• Equipment designed to ASME Sec.
VIII Div.1 Prior to 1987 Dec.

Bureau Veritas 118
INSPECTION
FACTORS FOR INSPECTION INTERVAL
 Nature of the product stored;
 Results of visual maintenance checks;
 Corrosion allowances and corrosion rates;
 Corrosion prevention systems;
 Conditions at previous inspections
 Methods and materials of construction and repair;
 Location of tanks, such as those in isolated or high risk areas;
 Potential risk of air or water pollution;
 Leak detection systems;
 Change in operating mode
 Jurisdictional requirements;
 Changes in service (including changes in water bottoms);
 Existence of a double bottom or a release prevention barrier.

Bureau Veritas 119
TYPES OF INSPECTION
 Routine In-service Inspections
Shall be carried out by operational personnel.
Once in every month from outside.
 External Inspection
Shall be done by authorized inspector
Every five years or RCA/4N which ever is less
 Ultrasonic Thickness Inspection
Corrosion rate is not known maximum interval is 5 years
Corrosion rate is known; smaller of RCA/2N or 15 years
 Internal Inspection
 Initial inspection interval shall not exceed 10 years for tank has one or more of the leak
prevention, detection, corrosion mitigation, or containment safeguards as per the table

below.

Bureau Veritas 120
QUESTIONS
Q4. The maximum ultrasonic thickness measurement interval

INSPECTION
shall be five years when the corrosion rate is not known. What is
the interval based on a known corrosion rate? The tank
information is as follows: Initial thickness of the tank was
1.0625”, the actual thickness is .815”, the calculated required
thickness is .473”, the tank has been in service for 16 years with
no measurements taken since it was installed.
RCA/2N
RCA =0.342
N=0.015
=0.342/2x0.015
=11.4 Years.

Bureau Veritas 121
TYPES OF INSPECTION
 However; initial inspection interval shall not exceed 20 years for tanks without a Release
Prevention Barrier, or 30 years for tanks with a Release Prevention Barrier.
 Subsequent inspection shall be based on the corrosion rate or RBI study.

Bureau Veritas 122
INSPECTION INTERVAL – OISD 129
 External Inspection
 Internal Inspection

Bureau Veritas 123
INSPECTION INTERVAL – OISD 129
 Pressure and/or Vacuum Relief Valve on Storage Tanks
The following inspection checks shall be carried out once in every six months for breather
valves on Storage Tanks.
 Discharge opening should be checked for obstruction.
 Flame arrestor wherever provided shall be inspected, for fouling, bird nests or clogging.
Element shall be inspected for mechanical damage, deposits, scaling etc. and cleaned
before onset of monsoon.
 Oil filled type liquid seal valve shall be inspected for oil level, fouling, bird nests, foreign
material etc.
 Free movement of pallet shall be checked.

Bureau Veritas 124
EXTERNAL VISUAL INSPECTION CHECKS
 Protective Coating  Leaks
 Roof Plates  Tank Mountings
 Ladders, Stairways, Platforms  Annular Projection plate
and Structures condition
 Roof drain & emergency drain  Tank dyke area
 Floating roof deck  Wind girders
 Rolling ladder track
 Pontoon for liquid traces
 Tank Pad
 Anchor Bolts
 Fire Fighting System
 Vents & Pressure Relieving
Devices
 Insulation
 Grounding/ Earthing Connections

Bureau Veritas 125
INTERNAL VISUAL INSPECTION CHECKS
 In addition to the external checks the following activities to be done during internal
inspection : -
 Floating roof underside inspection
 Inside tank shell condition
 Bottom plate MFL
 Settlement of the bottom plate
 Roof structures soundness
 Condition of internal welds
 Roof drain hydrostatic test
 Primary seal condition
 Ultrasonic thickness plates

Bureau Veritas 126
REPAIRS OF SHELL
 The tank shell can be repaired by the following techniques :
 Lap Patch Plate Welding
 Weld overlay
 Removal of the shell plate
 The minimum dimension for a replacement shell plate is 12 in. or 12 times the thickness
of the replacement plate, whichever is greater.
 Vertical joints shall be welded prior to horizontal joints & old vertical joints shall be cut
12 in. before welding vertical joints.
 Maximum vertical and horizontal dimension of the repair plate is 48 in. and 72 in.,
respectively for Lap plate.
 Lap patch shall not be used for thickness greater than ½ in.
 Ultrasonic testing shall be carried out prior to application of Lap patch plate.
 Corners of the patch plate shall be rounded to a minimum radius of 2in.
 Lap patch plates shall not be used if the chances of crevice corrosion exists.
 Additional Clauses are provided in the API 653, Section 9.

Bureau Veritas 127
REPAIRS OF SHELL
 Spacing requirements for carrying out weld repairs on the shell plate

Bureau Veritas 128
REPAIRS OF BOTTOM
 The minimum dimension of the plate that overlaps a bottom seam or existing patch is
12 in.
 May be of any shape with rounded corners (minimum radius of 2 inch).
 A smaller welded-on patch diameter ≥ 6 inch is permitted
 if it does not overlap a bottom seam;
 it is not placed fully or partially over an existing patch; and
 it extends beyond the corroded bottom area, if any, by at least 2 in.
 Weld-on patch plate within critical zone should have maximum thickness of ¼ in. & shall
be in tombstone shaped if defect is within 6 in. of the shell.
 Welded-on patch plates are not permitted in the critical zone on a tank bottom with an
operating temperature exceeding 200 °F for carbon steel or 100 °F for stainless steel.
 Weld deposition can be carried out on isolated pits & pits in critical zone.
 Additional Clauses are provided in the API 653, Section 9.

Bureau Veritas 129
REPAIRS OF BOTTOM
 Patch plates -NOT permitted in the critical zone when the operating temperature
exceeds 200 °F for CS or 100 °F for SS.
 If more extensive repairs are required within the critical zone the bottom plate welded to
the shell shall be replaced.
 The shell-to-bottom weld shall be removed and replaced for a minimum distance of 12
in. on each side of the new bottom plate.
 The repair of corroded plates in the critical zone is limited to pit welding or overlay
welding under the following conditions.
 The sum of the pit dimensions along an arc parallel to the shell-to-bottom
joint does not exceed 2 in. in an 8-in. length.
 There must be sufficient thickness (at least 0.1”) for completion of a sound
weld and to avoid burn through.
A lesser thickness is permitted only if reviewed and approved by an engineer .
 All weld repairs shall be ground flush and be examined.(root/final pass by
PT or MT. Additionally annular butt final pass by UT.)

Bureau Veritas 130
REPAIRS OF BOTTOM
 Weld spacing shall be maintained as per the following figure.

Bureau Veritas 131
REPAIRS OF ROOF PLATE
 Any method of repair is acceptable that will restore the roof to a condition enabling
it to perform as required.
 However the repair shall be carried out as per the requirements of the construction
code. (i.e. API 650).

Bureau Veritas 132
REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF ROOF PERIMETER
SEAL
 Primary Seals
Rim-mounted primary shoe seals and toroidal seal systems can be removed, repaired,
or replaced.
To minimize evaporation losses and reduce potential hazard to the workers, no more
than one-fourth of the roof seal system should be removed in an in-service tank at
one time.
 Installation of Primary and Secondary Seals.
The replacement or addition of primary and secondary seals shall be in accordance

with the recommendations of the seal manufacturer. In addition, the final installation
shall comply with all applicable jurisdictions.
If the roof rim thickness is less than 0.10-in. thick, it shall be replaced. The new roof rim
shall be 3/16-in.thickness minimum.

Bureau Veritas 133
REPAIR OF DEFECTIVE WELDS
 Cracks, lack of fusion, and rejectable slag and porosity needing repair shall be
removed completely by gouging and/or grinding and the resulting cavity properly
prepared for welding.
 Generally, it is not necessary to remove existing weld reinforcement in excess of
that allowed by API 650 when discovered on an existing tank with a satisfactory
service history.
 Existing weld undercut deemed unacceptable shall be repaired by additional weld
metal, or grinding, as appropriate.
 Welded joints that have experienced loss of metal due to corrosion may be
repaired by welding.
 Arc strikes discovered in or adjacent to welded joints shall be repaired by grinding
and/or welding. Arc strikes repaired by welding shall be ground flush with the
plate.

Bureau Veritas 134
HOT TAPS (RADIAL HOT TAPS)
 For tank shell plates of recognized toughness, the connection size and shell
thickness limitations are shown in Table 9.1.
 For shell plates of unknown toughness, the following limitations apply.
 Nozzles shall be limited to a maximum diameter of NPS 4.
 The shell plate temperature shall be at or above the minimum shell design
metal temperature for the entire hot tapping operation.
 All nozzles shall be reinforced. The reinforcement shall be calculated per API
650, Section 5.7.2. The minimum thickness of the reinforcing plate shall be
equal to the shell plate thickness, and the minimum reinforcing plate diameter
shall not be less than the diameter of the shell cutout plus 2 in.
 The maximum height of tank liquid above the hot tap location during the hot
tapping operation shall be such that the hydrostatic tank shell stress is less
than 7,000 lbf/in.2 at the elevation of the hot tap.
 The minimum height of tank liquid above the hot tap location shall be at least 3 ft
during the hot tapping operation.
 Welding with low hydrogen electrodes.

Bureau Veritas 135
HOT TAPS (RADIAL HOT TAPS)
 Hot taps are not permitted on the roof of a tank or within the gas/vapor space of
the tank.
 Hot taps shall not be installed on laminated or severely pitted shell plate.
 Hot taps are not permitted on tanks where the heat of welding may cause
environmental cracking (such as caustic cracking or stress corrosion cracking).

Bureau Veritas 136
NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
Sl. No. Type of NDT Applicability Acceptance

1 VT Pontoon welds, Roof Plate welds & Bottom Plate No bubble leakage
welds
2 MFL/LFET Bottom Plate Agreement Purchaser/

Manufact.
3 DPT Root pass, welds of nozzle, shell to bottom plate, Sec VIII,
roof plate weld joint, weld joint, patch plate & areas App 8, Para 8-3, 8-4, 8-
where weld repair carried out. 5
4 MPT Root pass, welds of nozzle, shell to bottom plate, Sec- VIII, App6, Para
roof plate weld joint, weld joint, patch plate & areas 6-3, 6-4,6-5,
where weld repair carried out. Its alone required for
arc gouged weld removal areas of bottom to shell
welds when removing bottom
5 UT Annular plate butt welds, shell areas where lap Agreement Purchaser/
patch plate required Manufact.
6 Oil Chalk Test First pass of new shell-to-bottom welds & the final No traces of oil from
new shell-to-bottom weld, Floating roof deck plate other side
7 RT Vertical welds & horizontal welds, annular plate Section

joints VIII UW-51(b)

Bureau Veritas 137
HYDROSTATIC TESTING
 Hydrostatic height shall be carried out if a major repair/alteration is carried out on

the tank.
 Calculation of hydrostatic test height shall be based on the below formula after
determining the controlling thickness for entire shell course:
 Calculation of hydrostatic test height for local thin area:
Ht is the height from the bottom of the shell course

St is the maximum allowable hydrostatic test stress in lbf/in. 2

Bureau Veritas 138
RECORDS
 CONSTRUCTION RECORDS (MAY INCLUDE )

INSPECTION FREQUENCY
 Nameplate information,
 Drawings,
 Specifications,
 Construction completion report,
 Report of material tests/analyses.
 INSPECTION HISTORY
 All measurements taken.
 The condition of all parts inspected.
 Record of all examinations/tests.
 complete description of unusual conditions recommendations conditions causing

correction of details
 This file will also contain corrosion rate and inspection interval calculations.

Bureau Veritas 139
RECORDS
 Repair/Alteration History
1. repairs,
2. alterations,
3. replacements, and
4. service changes.

Bureau Veritas 140
RECORDS
 Final assessment of tank report consists of:-


Bureau Veritas 141
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
 Underground Storage Tank INSPECTION FREQUENCY
A tank placed in earth, masonry or concrete pit and packed around with
sand, earth or clay leaving no air space between the tank and the pit.
No part of the tank is visible.

Bureau Veritas 142
 Underground Storage Tank INSPECTION FREQUENCY

Bureau Veritas 143
 Inspection of Underground Storage Tank

Prior to entering an underground tank, it shall be cleaned internally of its product and
adequate air circulation provided. The man entry should be preceded by ensuring that the
tank is Hydrocarbon & gas free. The tank shall be visually inspected for general corrosion/
pitting/ deterioration on internal surfaces.
Ultrasonic thickness measurements shall be carried out on shell plates, end plates and
nozzles from inside the tank once in ten-year period or to meet industry’s quality control
requirements whichever is less. The external inspection of the underground tank shall be
performed once in twenty-year period or to meet industry’s quality control requirements
whichever is less.
After the repairs, the tank shall be hydrostatically tested of at 0.75-kg/sq.cm-test pressure
and checked for leaks.

Bureau Veritas 144
Bureau Veritas 145

Storage Tank Basics 18.09.19

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Storage Tank Basics 18.09.19

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BASICS OF STORAGE TANKS

For the benefit of business and people

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Reduce the potential for releases

 Maintain tanks in safe operating conditions, and

 Make repairs and determine when replacement is necessary.

 Identify areas of degradation before failure occurs.

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Storage Tanks are the large-sized underground or aboveground cylindrical/spherical

metallic construction installed at the site.

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

Volatile and Non-volatile

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Fire water and

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

Types of Fixed roof tank:-

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Internal Floating Roof

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Annular Pontoon Floating Roof Tank

 Pan Type Floating Roof Tank

 Double Deck Floating Roof Tank

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Better Buoyancy and stability

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Double Deck Pontoon type:

 Upper and lower deck separated by bulkheads and trusses.

 Superior load capacity and insulating characteristics.

 Suitable for all types of products in all climates.

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• Tanks in which the fixed roof is supported

• Tanks with a self-supporting fixed roof and

• Internal floating roof tank is a kind of

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 API 651 – Cathodic Protection For Aboveground Storage Tank

 AI 652 – Lining Of Aboveground Petroleum Storage Tank Bottom

 API 653 – Tank Inspection, Repairs, Alteration & Reconstruction

 ASME SEC V – Non-destruction Examination

 ASME SEC IX – Welding & Brazing Qualification

 OISD STD 129 – Inspection Of Storage Tanks

Cylindrical Welded Oil Storage Tanks

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

 Oil Storage Tanks (welded construction, above ground, Cylindrical,

Vertical, Closed and open top)

 Tank bottom - uniformly supported.

 Service: Non-refrigerated service.

 Max design temp : 93°C (200°F) or less.

 Internal pressures app. atm pressure. (pressure not to exceed to weight

 Higher internal pressure & Temperature with additional requirements.

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11

• BV India: IDD: April09-R11