The toll of tropical storm Harvey on southeastern Texas continues to grow and be felt in various ways. With this record breaking amount of rain for the region, structures of all sorts were tested. This included above ground storage tanks in the oil industry. Unfortunately, some of the API 650 tanks did not pass the test. Shell reported this week to regulators that the floating roof of one of its API 650 tanks in Deer Park partially sank due to the heavy rainfall. Based on such issues, ...
Southwestern Fertilizer Conference 2017 & Your API 650 Tank Needs
The start of the agriculture fertilizer trade shows and business meetings are around the corner with the 92nd Annual Southwestern Fertilizer Conference kicking off the season Saturday July 15th through Wednesday July 19th. Everything fertilizer will be the focus of businesses making deals. From dry and liquid fertilizer to trucking, shipping by railway to storage options, major players in the fertilizer market will be setting the stage for the supply market this coming year of ...
Another Revision to West Virginia’s Above Ground Storage Tank Act
Years after the West Virginia Above Ground Storage Act was signed into law, the West Virginia legislature is again looking at changing the number of storage tanks that must comply with the law. In reaction to chemicals leaking from an API 650 tank into the local Charleston waterways, the Act imposed a registration and certification requirement on all permanent above ground storage tanks that store more than 1,320 gallons at atmospheric pressure and constructed of noncarbon materials (steel, ...
Draining API 650 Storage Tanks of Oil
As expected, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some non-OPEC countries reached an agreement in 2016 to cut the production of crude oil to increase prices. This cut has ended the super contango in the oil market, and API 650 tanks are starting to be emptied to put the oil on the market.A contango is when the current price of a commodity does not reflect its actual value. This results in the future price of the commodity being higher than the spot price. A ...
Repurposing an API 650 Tank: Max Fill Height and API 653
API 650 tanks are commonly repurposed to store a different liquid than what intended when the tank was originally built. This happens in every industry imaginable, because companies want to use their capital resources efficiently. The most important step in the process is to have an API 653 tank inspection performed on the above ground storage tank before the new product is introduced. The inspection evaluates the integrity of the tank and calculates the maximum fill height. When an API ...
Earthquakes, Fracking, and API 650 Storage Tanks in Cushing, Oklahoma
In recent years, Oklahoma has experienced hundreds of magnitude 3+ earthquakes annually -- with each year since 2013 bringing a remarkable increase over the prior year. What is the cause of this continued increase in earthquakes? According to Oklahoma's Office of the Secretary of Energy and Environment's Earthquakes in Oklahoma: What We Know webpage, “The Oklahoma Geological Survey has determined that the majority of recent earthquakes in central and north-central Oklahoma are very likely ...
3 Facts About Valve Containment Boxes on Your API 650 Tank
Have you ever wondered why you need valve containment boxes on you’re API 650 tank when you already have an internal PVC tank liner, one of the state’s acceptable secondary containment options? First, states that permit internal tank liners require valve containment boxes, so there really is no choice in the matter. Nevertheless, valve containment boxes are worth every penny in protection against a product leak if an above ground tank valve fails.Talking about containment can be ...
Liquid Fertilizer Tanks: Shop Built Versus Field Erected
Above ground storage tanks come in unlimited sizes and can store a seemingly infinite variety of liquid products. Although it seems like tanks are not that different, one main difference is where they are built. For a liquid fertilizer tank, it is either built in the shop or in the field at the final location. Building Style As indicated by the name, shop built tanks are built in the shop of the construction company. The benefits of being a shop tank builder are always being inside, ...
Above Ground Storage Tanks in Space?
Here at Heartland Tank Services we’ve constructed a lot of above ground storage tanks in locations throughout the United States and beyond under a wide range of circumstances. We’ve never really given any thought to building a tank any place but on earth, so we were intrigued to see a recent article about building storage tanks in space. Yes, you heard correctly; Mike Snead, President of the Spacefaring Institute™ LLC has been tasked with assessing the possibility of building small ...
Saying Goodbye to Beautiful Above Ground Storage Tanks
In just viewing them, above ground storage tanks do little to raise the pulse. When you think of an API tank, you probably picture something big, boring, and bland; they are a classic case of function over fashion and normally a company logo is about as exciting as it gets. However, there have been examples of some fantastically decorated API 650 tanks, adorned with murals, bright colors, and other creative artwork. Recently however, there has been a trend of returning above ground storage ...
