Protecting secondary containment areas

Choosing the right coating and lining systems depends on multiple variables, say Bruce Toews, Johnny Pourciau and Rodney Cressionnie from Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Oil, gas and petrochemical facilities are required to provide both primary and secondary containment areas. Primary containment areas include tanks, feed piping, pumps and process equipment, while secondary containment areas (SCAs) include surrounding structures such as dykes, channels and sumps. Common requirements for SCAs include: Materials: SCAs must be constructed of or lined with materials that are compatible with the contents placed in primary containment vessels. Capacity: SCAs must have capacity to contain 100% of the largest capacity tank, or 10% of the total capacity of all tanks at the location, plus a 25-year, 24-hour rainfall event. Structure: SCAs must have a structurally sound foundation and provide a structure that surrounds tanks completely and is sloped to drain to a sump. Leaks: SCAs must be equipped with a leak detection system that notifies operators so they can initiate cleanup procedures. Containment: SCAs must be able to contain the wastes or liquids for a minimum of...