ABU DHABI’S FORWARD-THINKING PETROCHEMICAL TERMINAL
Arabian Chemical Terminals Abu Dhabi’s commercial manager Mike Cromack tells Tank Storage Magazine what it means to be the region’s first independent liquid petrochemical facility. Founded in 1985, Arabian Chemical Terminals (ACT) has grown and expanded its expertise to become a key service provider in the breakbulk and general supply chain segments in the GCC region. With no existing commercial tank terminal in Abu Dhabi, ACT is developing a new site there for liquids and gases: the Arabian Chemical Terminal Abu Dhabi (ACTAD). The two- stage project at Khalifa Port will primarily serve KIZAD (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi), ZonesCorp […]
2022’S RISING STAR
We spoke to the winner of the Tank Storage Rising Star Award, Caitlin Geisinger, about her background and career. The Tank Storage Global Award for Rising Star is presented to ‘the person who is already paramount to the success of their company and who has the potential to become a key contributor to the future development of the tank storage industry.’ In 2022, Caitlin Geisinger was voted by the industry as the Gold Award winner. Geisinger is a business development manager, oil, gas and chemical, at US construction engineering company Burns & McDonnell. It’s fair to say that she was […]
TANK HEATING DESIGNED FOR A GREEN FUTURE
Enerquip’s custom engineered tank heating equipment is ideally suited for biofuels and bio-based feedstocks, explains Ron Herman. In 2008, Europe introduced laws requiring vehicle fuel suppliers to blend 5% biofuels into fuels, and in 2021 increased this to 10%. In the US, more and more states are now also mandating biofuel blending. This has led to an increase in demand for biofuels, and increased demand for equipment to handle them. For oil and gas companies used to handling self-lubricating, largely non-corrosive petroleum-based hydrocarbons, the storage and handling of biofuels and feedstocks generates new challenges. Such companies need to change infrastructure, […]
LIGHTNING FIRES, FRTS AND BYPASS CONDUCTORS
Joseph Lanzoni, VP of Sales Engineering for Lightning Eliminators & Consultants reveals how to avoid costly storage tank fires. Fires involving petroleum storage tanks are not uncommon. According to Henry Persson and Anders Lönnermark’s review of petroleum storage tank fires (1951-2003), the number of tank fires reported in the worldwide media is in the range of 15 to 20 fires per year. A petroleum industry-sponsored study concluded that lightning is the most common source of ignition, with about a third of all tank fires attributed to this. Floating roof tanks (FRTs) are especially vulnerable to lightning. The most common source […]
USING ROBOTICS TO KEEP ABOVE-GROUND STORAGE TANKS IN SERVICE
Matthew Myers from Square Robot shares how new technology can keep tanks in service for longer. Everyone with an above-ground storage tank (AST) recognises the challenges associated with tank inspections. The traditional method of taking a tank out-of-service only to perform a magnetic flux leakage (MFL) inspection can be a major burden on facilities, operations, and the teams managing tanks. Venting, cleaning, and blasting the bottom floor, just for an inspection, can leave a tank out of service (OOS) for months while costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost opportunity. What if there was a better way? A way […]
A TANK INSPECTION, REPAIR, MODIFICATION, AND TESTING OVERVIEW
Joe Mentzer from the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association runs through the basics for field-erected storage tanks. Petroleum Institute’s (API) Tank Inspection Repair, Alteration, and Reconstruction standard, API 653, was first published in 1991 and was a consensus standard created through input from tank fabricators, users, regulators, and others involved in the storage tank industry. API 653 addresses the tank shell, foundation, roof, and appurtenances, and is used to identify degradation of a storage tank due to use and exposure to the environment. The standard provides a mechanism to inspect tanks built to API tank construction standards and a […]
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 […]
TOMORROW’S BATTERY TODAY
W.T. Cutts, director at AT&V reveals how the company’s cutting edge technology could solve battery storage issues in the industry. The global movement towards clean energy is a complex issue. Finding an affordable solution while balancing environment concerns, human rights, and the current energy enterprise, combined with the involvement of multiple governments, seems impossible. Yet the answer will present itself; one idea, one technology, and one solution at a time. One problem most people agree on is the battery of today does not work for larger storage requirements. Whether you are referring to performance, cost, carbon footprint, or negative impacts […]
EXTENDING TANK LIFESPANS USING INSERTED LINERS
Storage tank specialist John Cornell looks at the need for a change in approach to the use of bolted tanks and tank liners. The subject of tank inspections has been an on-going since the Great Molasses Flood in Boston, Massachusetts, US. On 15 January 1919, a storage tank owned by the Purity Distilling Company, filled with 2.3 million US gallons (8,700 m3) of molasses weighing about 12,000 tonnes, burst. The resulting wave of molasses moved through the surrounding streets at an estimated speed of 35 mph (56 km/h), killing 21 people, untold numbers of horses, dogs and other animals, and […]
OLDEST WAR AND NEWEST SOLUTION
Innovative Surface Prep reveals the secret to a long-lasting storage tank. The war has gone on for nearly 4000 years, and is still a constant battle to this day. It happens every day and most people pass right by without even noticing. This is not a war you will hear about on the news or learn about in history books, but it is a fight happening across the world. It’s the fight against corrosion – one that specialist in safe, cutting-edge, eco-friendly surface prep solutions, Innovative Surface Prep (ISP) is taking head on. The mitigation and prevention of corrosion is […]
NEEDING A HERO
Joel Poe from Applied Impact Robotics discusses the founding of the company and what it can offer the tank storage industry. Applied Impact Robotics (AIR) was formed after winning the HeroX competition in November 2019, spearheaded by Malaysian oil major Petronas. Petronas was seeking a solution to close a critical gap within their storage tank inspection process and partnered with Chrysalix Venture Capital to create a contest to source and fund solutions with a prize of US$250,000 (€223,000) for development. In the 12 months following the initial award, AIR validated the core concepts of the design and key metrics to […]
TANK CLEANING EMBRACES SUSTAINABILITY
Cristin Johnson of USA DeBusk explains the new priorities of aboveground storage tank cleaning in the ESG era. In the past, aboveground storage tank cleaning projects were planned and executed with priorities focused predominantly on speed and cost. As long as safety and regulatory compliance standards were satisfied, the key performance indicators (KPIs) focused on metrics such as barrels of material removed and total time on site for the tank cleaning crew. With the increasing importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, KPIs for turnaround time and price now share the spotlight with factors such as waste and carbon […]
RISE AND FALL
Paul Wiseman finds that Russia, COVID, inflation, and the strong US dollar are all driving the oil situation in North America. Early in the northern hemisphere summer of 2022, prices for West Texas Intermediate (the US benchmark) as well as Brent Crude (the European benchmark) dropped from previous highs due to concerns about China’s zero COVID policy and demand destruction in the US due to historically high pump prices. In July, US President Joe Biden met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The stated reason was for a ‘reset’ and to ask one of the world’s biggest exporters […]
WAITING WITH BATED BREATH
ILTA explains what new technologies and procedures might improve terminal operations, and where regulations could be overzealous. The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) and its member companies are dedicated to providing safe, sustainable, efficient, and reliable storage and logistics services for bulk liquids. In July 2021, the board of directors adopted the organisation’s first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. One of these principles affirms the industry’s commitment to continually reviewing new technologies and procedures that might improve emissions monitoring and yield emissions reductions. ILTA has put this pledge into action by engaging with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) […]
NEW PLAYER CHANGING THE GAME
Willow Glen Terminal speaks to Tank Storage Magazine about the growth of this young facility, and how they’re paving the way for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Located on the site of a former gas-fired power station, Willow Glen Terminal (WGT) is a multi-modal logistics hub located in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, on the Lower Mississippi River. The power station was decommissioned in 2016, and WGT was formed in August 2020 by Zydeco Holdings (a Yorktown Energy Partners portfolio company) and Willow Glen Ventures to upcycle the former power station. The terminal formally opened earlier this year and features a […]
DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY
Jay Reynolds and Ellen Ruhotas tell Tank Storage Magazine how Zenith is serving customers and facing the energy transition head-on. In 2014, terminal industry veteran Jeff Armstrong decided to set up a new midstream company, having left Kinder Morgan, where he was president, in 2013. The new company, he decided, needed to be smaller, more aggressive, more creative, more responsive, and more customer-focussed, than the companies already existing. With US$600 million (€590.2 million) in backing from private equity firm Warburg Pincus and US$100 million from co- investors, friends and family, Zenith Energy was born. Initially, the company sought opportunities in […]
HANDLING THE PRESSURE
Tank Storage Magazine talks to engineering specialist Transtech Energy about the challenges involved with building Vopak Moda Houston’s bullet tanks. As part of the Vopak Moda Houston project, EPC contractor Transtech Energy, which has over 30 years of experience in the design and construction of liquefied gas terminals and transloading facilities, was tasked with fabrication of the facility’s five pressurised 120,000 gallon bullet tanks. These tanks have a total storage capacity of 14,285 barrels for products such as propane or butane or other liquefied hydrocarbon gasses. ‘Typically bullet style tanks are built for aboveground installations, Mark Wenik, market director for […]
IN IT FOR THE LONG-HAUL
Jon Ackerman from Vopak Moda Houston tells Tank Storage Magazine about the first greenfield terminal in the Port of Houston in more than a decade. In December 2021, Vopak Moda Houston, a terminal in the Port of Houston, US, announced that it was fully operational. But this was not any old terminal. Vopak Moda Houston was the first greenfield terminal developed in the Port for more than ten years, built to handle anhydrous ammonia and speciality pressurised gases. The terminal is operated as a joint venture, set up in 2016 between Vopak and Moda Midstream. Moda Midstream was at the […]
PART OF THE SOLUTION
The 2022 conference of the Federation of European Tank Storage Associations (FETSA) was held in Brussels, Belgium. The focus for this year was very much on the future of the industry and how it will be able to adapt for the energy transition. It included interesting talks, lively panel discussions and even an interactive session with a smartphone app. FETSA chair Ulfert Cornelius welcomed attendees, noting that the last in-person meeting was in Tarragona in Spain in 2019, and that being back face-to-face would strengthen the networks. The tank storage sector is facing a number of challenges relating to the […]
LORAWAN: BRINGING THE DIGITAL TWIN INTO FOCUS
The oil and gas industry is undergoing rapid transformation from fast-advancing technologies. Everywhere, systems are being streamlined, procedures rewritten, and methodology redefined. It’s the inevitable direction the industry has to take to metamorphose into the modern technological age. While wireless sensors are not new, recent innovations, such as LoRaWAN communication, offer significant performance increases at a radically dropped price point. Combine this with the rapid growth of digital data platforms, and the real-world applications of the resulting data are compelling, and the advantages undeniable. Undoubtedly, there’s a revolution afoot. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is beginning to significantly impact […]
US TERMINALS ADOPT RE-GEN ROBOTICS’ TANK CLEANING SERVICES
Re-Gen Robotics operates with a focus on achieving and maintaining world-class safety standards to mitigate risks and underpin hazards. This goal underpins the company ethos. Re-Gen Robotics’ 100% no man entry Zone 0 EX rated robotic tank cleaning solution ensures the integrity of oil tanks, enhances performance and supports all regulatory compliance. In three years, Re-Gen Robotics has established its reputation in Europe, as the ‘go to’ company for 100% no man entry tank cleaning solutions. There has been a cultural change in safety thinking across Europe and terminal operators are quickly adopting this 100% no man entry service. Ensuring […]
QUO VADIS, PETROCHEMICALS?
Petrochemicals play a crucial role in the chemical industry. Firstly, they mark the starting point of almost all chemical value chains and, hence, provide a secure raw material basis to all the subsequent segments, such as specialties, fine chemicals or polymers, the more so as the majority of chemical plants in Europe is backwards integrated. Secondly, individually they represent also one of the biggest business segments in the chemical industry. FACTS AND FIGURES In the current structure of Europe’s chemical industry petrochemicals contribute: On average some €132 billion per year to the overall European GDP, representing 26.4% of the […]
TANK STORAGE IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
All eyes are on the Russia/Ukraine war, but this is not the only challenge facing the tank storage industry. In fact, it is actually quite a short-term problem, with the next year set to be a turbulent one. Prices are volatile, fluctuating as the supply and demand of gas does. On top of this, politicians are not moving fast enough to really respond to the boycott of Russian oil. While there is some slow movement towards using other fuels, the whole oil chain needs support in processing and storing these. Come October, it’s likely there will be an unprecedented diesel […]
ENABLING NET ZERO IN MAJOR HAZARD INDUSTRIES
The UK government’s Health and Safety Executive has launched a new Strategy for 2022-2032, setting out a key objective to enable industry to innovate safely to prevent major incidents, all while supporting the move towards net zero. It’s important that operators in the tank storage sector are clear on what they can expect from the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Competent Authority and what HSE expects to see from them. How to identify and embed good practice in a major hazards environment and the role of executive leadership is well understood in the mature technologies of the hydrocarbon economy. […]
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS
The Sprint Robotics World Conference for Inspection and Maintenance Robotics is kicking off on 27 September in Amsterdam. Like many events, it’s the first time exhibitors are coming together since the covid pandemic. So, naturally, there’s plenty of innovations to catch up on. ‘We are seeing huge pent-up demand for the event with an early surge in exhibitors with a broad range of technologies on offer,’ says conference Chairman George Williamson. The event will have a particular focus on inspection and maintenance applications. ‘In these cases, robots are removing humans from high-risk activities such as working at heights, near chemicals […]
INNOVATION IN INSPECTION
When a UK-based bulk liquid storage operator commissioned WSG Eagle Eye Integrity Specialists to inspect a 500,000 litre storage tank in accordance with EEMUA 159, it was clear that the client had concerns about corrosion under insulation and vapour zone integrity. UK-based integrity specialist WSG Eagle Eye responded with a comprehensive tank integrity assessment, which included the latest in MFL (magnetic flux leakage) tank floor scanning to produce an EEMUA 159 tank inspection. In addition, the team deployed a confined space drone and, using highly sensitive thermography, was able to locate an area of 1.5m x 3m of corrosion under […]
THE CHANGING CHEMICAL SUPPLY CHAIN
The effective management of sustainability throughout the chemical supply chain is vital for reducing risk, improving reputation, and attracting customers and investment. The chemical supply chain is complex, often involving large numbers of suppliers spanning several countries with different legal and regulatory frameworks. As globalisation has increased over the years, it has evolved to be an extremely efficient operation, enabled by a highly integrated supply chain that allows freight to be moved reliably and economically. Over the last couple of years, however, the chemical supply chain has had to contend with unprecedented challenges. Factors affecting the chemical supply chain […]
VOC ABATEMENT FILTERS FOR STORAGE TANKS
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals with low boiling points that may be toxic to humans and the environment or have long-term health effects. As such, regulatory authorities the world over have strict regulations in place to minimise emissions. A number of methods to minimise VOC emissions exist that are applicable to storage tanks, one such being the Go4DK VOC abatement filter. THE BENEFITS The Go4DK VOC abatement filter is designed to remove VOCs from the tank ventilation. Applications for the technology include API650 storage tanks, offshore platforms and rigs and supply vessels with Lloyds Register (LR) design […]
BACK TOGETHER AT LAST
The most common comment heard around the show floor at StocExpo 2022 at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, was how good it was to be back face-to-face, something echoed by many of the speakers in the show’s varied and extensive conference programme. ALL THE COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW The first day of the conference focussed on the impact of the energy transition on the storage sector. Blue, green and grey hydrogen were covered and even pink – with Matt Wilson, energy transition manager at Navigator Terminals saying that nuclear-produced hydrogen is now a viable option. With the energy […]
GAS RECOVERY – APPLICATIONS, EQUIPMENT AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS
In recent years, the oil and gas industry has been under a lot of pressure from environmental regulatory agencies worldwide to reduce the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. Among gaseous pollutants, regulatory attention has been focussed not only on the reduction of the emissions of toxic and hazardous substances, but as well on the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases, such as methane and CO2. The development and installation of gas recovery packages has gone some way to tackling the problem. Gas recovery packages are process units aimed at recovering and re-using the gas that would otherwise be emitted […]
UPGRADING A TERMINAL VAPOUR RECOVERY SYSTEM
Vapour recovery systems at tank storage facilities have been in use for more than 40 years. They were developed to address environmental regulations, primarily regarding the control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions generated during the transfer of petroleum products. Vapour treatment may also be required due to odour or toxic exposure concerns. Over the years, there have been many different evolutions and improvements to vapour control equipment, not only in the design, processes, and efficiency of the units, but also in the ability to achieve lower emissions. This article describes how Zeeco assisted a tank storage facility in making […]
THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN TERMINALS
Um Terminals is a big believer in the power of building long-term, trusted partnerships with its customers. The UK-headquartered company has many valued customer relationships, extending over decades. Integral to sustaining such relationships is a willingness to invest. This helps ensure the company can evolve to meet the current and future requirements of its clients. Investing in client solutions UM Terminals operates out of eight terminals with a current capacity of over 300,000m3 of bulk liquid storage – with ambitions to bring this up to 400,000m3. The company maintains a broad portfolio of storing around 40 products, including vegetable […]
