Crude oil and refined product storage tanks installation and refurbishment
SSI is experienced in the installation and refurbishment of bulk oil and product storage tanks in a wide variety of designs. The most common type of tank is the atmospheric tank used for storing oil and petroleum products. Atmospheric tanks are designed to contain pressures of 0 to 0.5 psig. There are five common types of atmospheric storage tanks used for petroleum products:
- Fixed roof tanks
- Floating roof tanks
- Fixed vertical roof tanks
- Vapour dome roof tanks
- Lifter roof tanks
Floating roof tanks minimize vapour loss because the roof rests on the liquid, which greatly reduces the vapour space between the top of the tank and the top of the liquid.
Lifter roof or vapour dome tanks reduce the amount of vapour loss by moving up or down with vapour volume changes.
Fixed cone roof tanks and vertical roof tanks tend to have higher vapour loss than the other three types.
Above ground tanks can be coated or are painted with aluminium or white paint to reflect heat, which decreases the temperature rise of the liquid contents and slows evaporation. The thickness of the metal used for tank construction is based on the strength required to hold the mass of the liquid together with an added allowance for corrosion encountered during the service life of the tank.
Steel tanks resist heat from exposure to fires and maintain structural integrity for a longer period of time than any other material currently used for tank construction.
Low-pressure (0-15 psig) storage tanks are commonly used for storing petroleum products with low vapour pressures. Low-pressure tanks are designed to contain liquids with vapour pressures slightly higher than atmospheric pressure, but not exceeding 15 psig.
SSI engineers are aware of all of these issues and take them into account at all times.