THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I BUILT MY TANK

Jim Viale from Fisher Tank explains the basics. There are many things to consider when building tanks, but one of the most important considerations when planning a storage tank project is determining who needs to be involved. All stakeholders should have a voice in the process. Purchasing, operations, engineering, and a trusted contractor should all be involved so that no one is operating in a vacuum. A team approach, with both internal and external partnerships, and an investment of time and effort up front will save tank owners time and money both on the front end and on the back end. DESIGN Let’s consider tank design: are the design engineers in communication with people involved in operations? Do the engineers have an understanding of the tank site, how the tank will be used, and how the operations team will need to access it? Consider the example of staircases: if you’re adding three tanks to a site, for example, does each tank need a staircase? Or would one staircase with platform access to the other tank be a more effective solution? Are staircases even required? Should some spare nozzles be included in case of a future change of service? Should multiple manways be...