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Butt welded steel tanks have been a main stay in the field of constructing above ground storage tanks for decades.  Around 1936, welded steel tanks overtook riveted tanks as the preferred method in new above ground storage tank construction.  In step with this change, API standards were published to guide construction of such tanks for adequate safety and reasonable economy.  Now in its twelfth edition, API 650 is the current standard to which welded steel tanks are built.  This standard covers the minimum requirements for materials, design, fabrication, erection, welding, and inspection for constructing a new above ground storage tank.

Partial relief may be in sight from hiring certified inspectors for every tank inspection required for the impending initial West Virginia aboveground tank inspection requirement.  Signed into law on April 1, 2014, the West Virginia Aboveground Storage Tank Act has been criticized by many tank owners as too expansive in the number of tanks required to have inspections completed and certified by January 1, 2015. On September 9, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) issued a proposed interpretive rule that eases the inspection requirements by creating three classes of tanks.  The class assigned to a storage tank

Storage tank owners usually hear the term API 653 Standard in the context of aboveground storage tank inspections.  This is rightly so, because API 653 is the internationally recognized standard for inspecting aboveground welded storage tanks storing products at atmospheric pressure. However, the API 653 Standard covers more than the requirements for an API 653 inspection.  In addition to addressing inspection requirements, API 653 also addresses the repair, alteration, relocation, and reconstruction of existing aboveground storage tanks built to the API 650 Standard or its predecessor, API 12C. Storage Tank Relocation and Reconstruction As welded storage tanks

The deadline to register above ground storage tanks (“ASTs”) subject to the West Virginia Aboveground Storage Tank Act (“Tank Act”) has passed but more is on the horizon for tank owners.  This includes upcoming deadlines as well as recently published draft regulations to flesh out the details of the Tank Act. First, AST owners subject to the Tank Act must submit their Spill Prevention Response Plan by December 3, 2014.  Second, AST owners must also submit inspections and certifications for their aboveground storage tanks by January 1, 2015.  The only change in completing those inspections is who is

Aboveground storage tanks are essential to life as we know it.  So many products that we use in our daily life relied in some part on an aboveground storage tank that contained fertilizer, water, oil, a processing chemical, or some other liquid. While the purpose and concept are exactly the same, there are two ways that vertical aboveground storage tanks can be built: shop-built and field erected.  The main determination of which method to use is based on the end capacity of the aboveground storage tank.  However, the tools and manner in which the tank is constructed varies between

Tis the season for agricultural conferences and trade shows all across the country for education and to display all of the new products that can be used for agriculture from seeds to fertilizer applicators to above ground storage tanks.  The types of shows range from state to regional to national in scope.  Each conference and show mixes business with pleasure by offering speakers and workshops to assist attendees in staying on top of this rapidly changing industry as well as social receptions, entertainment, and outings to ensure fun is had by all. The shows start

Flexible Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Secondary Containment Liners are more commonly used in the liquid fertilizer industry to satisfy many state secondary containment requirements for aboveground storage tanks.  Most secondary containment methods serve as catch containers and only come in contact with the product when it leaks from the tank.  A flexible PVC internal tank liner works differently and has added benefits beyond simply satisfying containment requirements. Tank Liners are Primary Containment PVC tank liners are situated inside the aboveground storage tank as opposed to most other secondary containment methods that are outside of the tank. Because

Being a responsible above ground storage tank owner, you just had an API 653 certified inspection complete a full API 653 tank inspection to either fulfill your state requirements or based on The Fertilizer Institute’s recommendation of conducting an  API 653 inspection every five years.  The API 653 inspector should provide you with a report summarizing the tests conducted and the results.  So what should be included in the API 653 tank inspection report to show the safety status of your storage tank? An API 653 tank inspection report covers a large amount of information, so

“It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.” – David Allen Coe Foundation – it is the support and base of an entity, whether it is an area of knowledge (mathematics, art, music), education generally, ideology, relationships, organization of government, ecosystems, building structures, etc. The concept of needing a strong foundation is referenced throughout time from poets like Ralph Waldo Emerson to the Bible regarding building a house on sand or rock. The importance of the foundation for

The Fluid Fertilizer Foundation held its 2014 Fluid Technology Workshop in Sacramento on December 9th and 10th.  Focusing on liquid fertilizer, the various speakers addressed topics including water testing, crop management with marginal water quality, plant operation, formulation and compatibility issues, UAN composition variability, and soil testing methods. Chris Brooks from Heartland Tank Services, Inc. was one of the speakers at the 2014 Fluid Technology Workshop.  His presentation addressed above ground storage tank maintenance issues and the importance of performing regular storage tank inspections, including weekly or monthly storage tank visual inspections and an API 653 tank inspection every five