Our Storage Tank Inspectors: Proactively Preventing Spills
When it comes to the design, construction, maintenance, commission, and decommissioning of storage tanks, no detail is too small. With the assistance of our Regulatory Compliance team, our staff has been able to streamline maintenance processes for aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) and underground storage tanks (USTs), while also developing individualized Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure (SPCC) plans to address the environmental safety of sites with oil storage.
“What we do in preventative maintenance is really about protecting people,” says Thomas Heller, Senior Compliance Specialist. “When you can identify and fix issues proactively, you protect the ground, water, and air quality with every spill you prevent.”
State and federal regulations require secondary containment, corrosion control, and/or leak detection for ASTs and USTs that remain in active service. Most storage tanks require visual inspections on a monthly and yearly basis, while others need to be formally inspected by a certified inspector every 5 years or longer. Larger tanks will also require ultrasonic thickness testing every 10 to 15 years and internally inspected every 20 years. Our Regulatory Compliance team assists clients with formal inspections and non-destructive testing, while creating SPCC plans and other tools to assist with self-monitoring.
“Our team has multiple staff certified by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Steel Tank Institute (STI),” says Heller. “We also collaborate with some of our more advanced technology services, like utilizing drone, GIS and 3D scanning technologies, to help collect large amounts of data safely and efficiently.”
Recent Tank Projects
SPCC Update, Tank Inspection & Integrity Testing – Roberts Energy LLC
We conducted an inspection and integrity test for a 1.8-million-gallon AST holding petroleum fuel. The inspection was performed under API 653 guidelines for bulk storage containers, utilizing non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques such as ultrasonic thickness testing (UT), remote operated vehicle tank crawler, 3D scanning for settlement survey of the tank bottom, and drone inspection for external surfaces.
The project also included updating SPCC plans for three Roberts Energy sites in Massachusetts and Vermont.
Process Inspection for Private Water Utility
We conducted an integrity test of an existing filter system within a water treatment plant to evaluate possible degradation within the process piping system. The test was conducted to API 570 piping integrity requirements, using ultrasonic testing to determine the amount of corrosion that had occurred within the pipes.
The findings of the inspection allowed the client to proactively identify and fix any potentially degraded sections of piping before major repairs are necessary.
Our Tank Services:
- SPCC Plans
- 502 Use Permit for ASTs
- Formal AST Inspections – Internal & External: STI SP001 & API 653
- Monthly A/B Operator USTs
- Annual TPI – USTs
- Preventative Maintenance Audits
- Formal Piping Inspections – API 570
- Pressure Vessel Inspections – API 510
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Services – Ultrasonic Thickness Testing (UT) & Dye Penetrant Testing (PT)
- Drone, ROV Tank Crawler, Articulating Camera, and Borescope Inspections