Global Tank Storage Award Winner 2024: Excellence in Safety
Terminal manager Tom Vanhoeylandt tells Kate Rainford about LBC Lillo’s win for Excellence in Safety at the Global Tank Storage Awards 2024 Safety in terminals is a key consideration for storage providers. LBC Lillo’s terminal manager of 11 years, Tom Vanhoeylandt, proudly puts safety at the forefront of the company, and was recognised for this when LBC Lillo won gold for safety excellence at the Global Tank Storage Awards in March 2024. Located in Antwerp, Belgium, LBC Lillo boasts 47,500 m³ of liquid storage capacity across 19 storage tanks, ranging in volumes from 1,660 m³ to 3,000 m³. Focusing on […]
New Fuels In The Mediterranean
Port Tarragona’s commercial coordinator, Jordi Angles, looks at how the Mediterranean is perfectly positioned to support the energy transition All the disruptions we have experienced as a society since 2020 have led to an enormous acceleration towards the energy transition. This has had a considerable impact on all port facilities. Ports are currently experiencing a twin panorama. While the statistics tell us that fuels and traditional energy products still make up the bulk of traffic, the commercial reality is that conferences, meetings with clients and networking spaces are filled with conversations, projects and analyses that involve a wide variety of […]
Women in Tanks: Tammara Young
Colonial Pipeline’s safety specialist, Tammara Young, explains how her passion for safety and drive for learning empowered her journey into tank storage Tammara Young, safety specialist, Colonial Pipeline Tammara Young is a prime example of women in this industry elevating each other to new heights. Recommended by another colleague involved in Tank Storage Magazine’s Women in Tanks scheme, Young’s story is one that transcends industry. A single mother, she’s been able to grow an impressive career in safety and is an inspiration to all those who meet her. Though she would never be so bold as to say so. ‘I […]
Saudi Aramco: The Importance Of Non-Destructive Testing In Oil & Gas
Saudi Aramco’s Mohammed Abufour explains why advanced NDT solutions are essential to enhance asset integrity quality in the oil & gas industry Being able to predict the reliability of oil and gas assets and inspect their integrity is a high priority for oil and gas operators. Of the possible degradation problems affecting oil and gas operating facilities, corrosion, hydrogen and stress-related corrosion, and cracking in steels are among the most serious. These types of damage are difficult to detect, especially in the large volume of operating equipment that require thorough inspection. As a result of the severity of these inspection […]
Meridian: The New Infrastructure Company
Jon Ackerman, CEO of Meridian talks about the new company’s goals, and what the experienced team of six will bring Jon Ackerman, CEO, Meridian Co-founded by Jon Ackerman of Moda Midstream, Meridian Infrastructure specialises in customer-focused development of terminaling and marine infrastructure solutions. Meridian is a name that aims to incorporate not only the company’s global shipping trade links but also represents the concept of landmarks and focal points in global navigation. The company strives to meet its specific customers’ liquids handling needs by finding innovative solutions that increase efficiency and protect the integrity of their customers’ supply chains. Meridian […]
Vopak US & Canada: Fuelling The Future
President of Vopak US and Canada, Maria Ciliberti, explains how the multinational company is growing and preparing for the energy transition Vopak is dedicated to the safe, reliable, and efficient storage of essential products for everyday life. With 76 terminals across the globe. Vopak is one of the world’s leading tank storage companies, providing 34.7 million m³ of storage for new energies, feedstocks, gas, industrial, chemical and oil products. Maria Ciliberti, President, Vopak Us & Canada For over four centuries, Vopak has been creating connections with businesses and communities, and as the world works towards a sustainable future, Vopak has […]
Women in Tanks: Tahya Slaven
Tahya Slaven, project manager at Exolum, talks to Tank Storage Magazine, about her time in the industry and a promising future for Women in Tanks After 11 years in tank storage, Tahya Slaven has seen the highs and lows of the industry. However, in her current position at Exolum, as an electrical control and instrumental project manager, she believes she is beginning to see a more inclusive and accepting future. Her current day-to-day in this position sees her turn her hand to various jobs. ‘We’re a multi-fuel storage site which operates commercially. I am managing things like the electrical infrastructure. […]
ILTA Update: Communication, Advocacy & Education
Tank Storage Magazine speaks exclusively to Leakhena Swett, the ILTA’s new president about the association’s new initiatives and growth In December 2023, after four years as the ILTA’s executive vice president, Leakhena Swett assumed the position of interim president. ‘I was brought on to the ILTA to help with the memberships and marketing side of things,’ she says. ‘My first point of action was to do site visits to understand how the industry works, and how vital we are for the supply chain. When I then became interim president, we were trying to figure out the direction of the […]
Tank Storage Association: Annual Review Of The Bulk Storage And Energy Infrastructure Sector
The Tank Storage Association’s Peter Davidson shares his insights into the UK’s bulk storage sector The bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector plays a vital role in providing products and services that are critical to UK consumers. Tank storage infrastructure is an integral part of a complex web of global activities and supply chains including the extraction of raw materials and the production, refining, trade, investment and consumption of a diverse range of essential products for the energy, manufacturing, food, agriculture, and transport sectors. Terminals and tank farms also provide greater resilience within the supply chain by ensuring flexibility to […]
Global Tank Storage Award Winner 2024: Environmental Performance
Assentech Sales’ founder Ewart Cox reflects on the company’s gold win at the Global Tank Storage Awards for reducing emissions across facilities Operating out of Cornwall, UK, Assentech Sales specialises in valve equipment to reduce emissions on tank terminals. But it was the company’s patented Vent-Less breather valve test bench that took home the gold award for environmental performance at the 2024 Global Tank Storage Awards. ‘Breather valves are a critical safety device,’ says founder Ewart Cox. ‘I realised that customers can sometimes unknowingly be purchasing untested valves, due to time pressures from manufacturers. That’s what drove me to develop […]
Women in Tanks: Kathy Stewart
Vopak’s vice president for operations and technology in North America, Kathy Stewart, shares her story in the tank storage industry Kathy Stewart started her career in upstream oil and gas operations. She was looking for ways to grow and new opportunities to learn and develop her skills when a recruiter approached her for a terminal manager role at Vopak. ‘I was looking for an opportunity that would allow me to expand my knowledge of the energy industry as well as open up global opportunities,’ she says. ‘The recruiter introduced me to Vopak and the tank storage industry, and I accepted […]
EET Fuels: Redefining Energy
Discover what Essar Oil UK’s rebrand to EET Fuels reveals about the company and its ambitions Essar Oil UK became EET Fuels in January 2024, setting out its plan to become the UK’s first low-carbon process refinery and setting the global benchmark for lower emitting refineries and industrial decarbonisation. EET Fuels is part of Essar Energy Transition (EET), which was launched in 2023 to drive the creation of the UK’s leading energy transition hub in North West England. EET plans to invest over $3 million (€2.8 million) in developing a range of low carbon energy transition projects over the next […]
The Types of Storage Tank Settlement & How to Mitigate Them
Katelyn Gustoff, consulting engineer, and Derek Slovenec, senior engineer, from The Equity Engineering Group explore this threat to asset integrity Foundation settlement poses a significant threat to the integrity of aboveground storage tanks (ASTs). Correcting excessive settlement typically requires major repairs including re-levelling the foundation and replacing components that have experienced excessive plastic strain. Re-levelling of a sizable tank is expensive and has certain risks associated with the procedure; thus, deciding to re-level an AST is crucial and relies on the proper interpretation and evaluation of the monitored settlement data. ASTs are inherently flexible structures so significant foundation settlement can […]
Digitalising Global Marine Terminal Operations with Maritime Assurance 2.0
Gonzalo Mera Truffini, vice president of The Latin American Society of Maritime Oil Terminals and SBM Operators (SLOM) explains how Maritime Assurance 2.0 is helping shippers better serve storage clients Times are changing for the shipping industry in Latin America and around the world. There is constant pressure to deliver more with less, and do it with greater speed, efficiency and sustainability. This is especially true in the shipping segment serving the energy industry, where the pursuit of competitive advantages is impacted by a growing range of compliance requirements and the need to help safeguard our world for future generations. […]
Should You Digitalise Your Storage Terminal?
Editor Anamika Talwaria looks into the benefits and drawbacks of increased digitalisation for critical infrastructure – and how the tank storage industry can protect itself Going digital comes with a whole host of benefits. Implementing a digital system that automates loading/unloading can lead to a faster, more efficient and safer process. Digitalising paperwork that has traditionally been carried around on a clipboard and written on in pen can make the task quicker, data more accurate, and more accessible. Plus, digitising systems can mean that colleagues from all over the world could analyse potential issues – without needing to be […]
Creating A Reliable, Renewable Hydrogen Supply
ICIS hydrogen analyst, Sandeep Venkatesh, explores how renewable hydrogen is impacting tank storage Renewable hydrogen is considered an important commodity to decarbonise areas of the economy that would otherwise struggle to electrify. However, the intermittent nature of renewable electricity supply makes it difficult to consistently meet end-use demand for renewable hydrogen. Offtakes, such as industrial applications, regularly require consistent supply. But in instances where demand mismatches renewable generation, the power generation would need to be curtailed. From an electricity market perspective, these are periods of very low electricity prices. Sandeep Venkatesh, ICIS Hydrogen Analyst The evolution of hydrogen storage […]
Chemserve Terminal: Forward-Thinking Chemical Facility
Matthew Law, vice president at Chemserve Terminal explains how the family- run chemical terminal is standing out in the USA Founded in 2014, Chemserve Terminal is a third-generation family-owned chemical terminal in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. The company got its start in the tugboat and barge sector, owning vessels along the Gulf Coast and East Coast of the USA. ‘Our niche these days is specialty chemicals and some dry commodities,’ says vice president Matthew Law. ‘We’re possibly looking towards biofuels, but not particularly interested in getting involved in motor fuels.’ Chemserve Terminal is very familiar with the mid-Atlantic and […]
The AI Revolution In Tank Storage Training
Frederik Haentjens, COO at TankSkills, explains why the industry needs to be utilising AI vocational training In today’s fast-evolving technological landscape, the tank storage industry faces a significant challenge: the departure of experienced professionals, creating a gap that is difficult to fill. Tank Storage Magazine recently spotlighted this issue and discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) offers a promising solution in a recent Tank Talk webinar on solving the brain drain. Participants included Fred Haentjens from Tank Skills, joined by Wouter Van der Stricht from Euroports, Sandra de Bont from VOTOB Academy, Tim Doggett from Chemical Business Association. The […]
FETSA View: Expectations For The Next Legislative Mandate
FETSA’s executive director Ravi Bhatiani discusses the group’s expectations for the EU’s emissions targets and energy transition efforts The recent adoption by the European Commission of a new 2040 climate target of 90% emissions reductions, as well as continued energy transition efforts by the EU in developing hydrogen and CCUS infrastructure show that the energy transition planning continues at pace in Europe despite increasing criticism from many sectors – notably agriculture. Political Will For The Energy Transition The energy transition is not the only political priority. Initiatives like the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal, as well […]
Leveraging Incentives To Lower Emissions
Ahead of speaking at ILTA 2024, Haley Armstrong and Ethan Spira from AJW, Inc. explore how terminal operators can adapt as the energy transition unfolds Haley Armstrong, partner at AJW Inc Terminals play an integral role in connecting companies’ supply chains. Operators must understand their customers’ emissions reduction goals to ensure the terminal is meeting the customer’s needs. While motivations to reduce emissions may vary from company to company – like customer preference, investor pressure, corporate missions, or regulatory requirements – developing emissions reduction strategies within your company and across your supply chains is increasingly becoming an expected business […]
Global Hydrogen Corridors: Essential Pathways To Decarbonisation
Barend van Schalkwyk, business development director at OCI Global explores the impact of global hydrogen corridors on decarbonising energy-intensive industries Barend van Schalkwyk, business development director at OCI Global Lower-carbon hydrogen and its derivatives, methanol and ammonia, can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) across some of the most energy- intensive industries, including shipping, industrial manufacturing, agriculture and power generation. As a new low carbon hydrogen economy emerges worldwide, regions with the best access to renewable feedstock sources, technology developments and geographical advantages have the opportunity to take the global lead in production – though the regulatory landscape remains […]
IMTT: Greener & Cleaner
Melanie Landry, environmental regulatory compliance manager for International-Matex Tank Terminals speaks to Tank Storage Magazine about how her role and core values support IMTT’s Greener & Cleaner strategy Established in 1939, International-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT) is an industry leader in the storage and handling of a wide variety of liquid products, catering to a diverse customer base that includes refiners, commodity traders, chemical manufacturers, and distributors. IMTT operates 11 terminals across North America and has total storage capacity of approximately 41 million barrels. Melanie Landry, environmental regulatory compliance manager, IMTT As the environmental regulatory compliance manager, Melanie Landry provides […]
Women in Tanks: Heather Legan
Heather Legan explains how BP’s early engagement programme kickstarted her career in tank storage Choosing chemical engineering in college always felt like the right fit for Heather Legan, now a process engineer at BP. She enjoyed maths, chemistry and microbiology, so the course seemed to be a great fit for her interests. Legan assumed that with this degree she would work in the food or pharmaceutical industry – mostly because those were the industries she had the most exposure to growing up. Heather Legan, process engineer, BP ‘In my first year at university, an admin on my programme pointed […]
Sustainable, Efficient Inspections
Robotics enable a more sustainable path to internal tank inspections in compliance with industry guidelines, say the experts at Square Robot Sustainability has become an imperative for businesses across all industries. Consumers, investors, and employees now expect companies to prioritise environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. However, advancing operational efficiency through innovative technology remains critical, too. As a leading provider of in-service, internal and external tank inspection using robotics, Square Robot embraces this dual responsibility. Emissions In Inspections The carbon emissions reduction enabled by robotic internal tank inspection services is substantial. A typical 100-foot (30 m) diesel tank […]
Vopak Exolum Houston: Facilitating The Energy Transition In The USA
Tank Storage Magazine speaks exclusively to Andrés Suárez about Exolum’s expansion into the USA In December 2023, Exolum acquired a 50% interest in Vopak Moda Houston (VMH), an ammonia storage, import and export terminal located on the Houston Ship Channel, USA. Exolum took over from Moda Midstream LLC in its first foray into the US market. Located at the very entrance to the Houston Ship Channel, the terminal has excellent deepwater access, making it capable of handling VLGCs and placing it in a prime position to take in large deliveries of product. ‘For us, it’s a key location and […]
Decarbonisation Starts at the Terminal
UAB-Online’s CEO Hans Bobeldijk explores how tank storage can reach net zero With the continuing emphasis throughout the maritime industry on finding ways to achieve net zero by 2050, it is important to examine the role that ports and terminals can play. There are numerous environmentally friendly practices that terminals could deploy in order to start making an impact on emission reduction. Stakeholders must first address the many factors that make the current port processes inefficient and have a direct tie to delays at ports. It’s widely known that delays contribute to increased emissions due to prolonged vessel idling, […]
In Conversation with Advario’s Bas Verkooijen
Molly Cooper speaks with CEO of Advario, Bas Verkooijen about the company’s current activities and what lies ahead for the industry It’s been two years since Advario launched its new brand, stepping away from the Oiltanking moniker, and since Bas Verkooijen started as its CEO. ‘Since the launch in 2022, Advario has made huge steps forward. We have completed the carve-out and rebrand, established ourselves in the market, and have grown a vibrant company culture. Our strategy is clear, to our people and to the sector, and we are executing on it,’ says Verkooijen. Advario’s business is growing in […]
EEMUA Guidance on Above Ground Horizontal Rectangular Metallic Storage Tanks
Many tank operators will be familiar with EEMUA Publication 159 Users’ Guide to the Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Above Ground Flat Bottomed Storage Tanks. This has become the de facto standard for stakeholders in such equipment and is widely used worldwide. Specific and comprehensive guidance for the use of plastic tanks is also provided in EEMUA Publication 225 Above Ground Plastic Tanks: A guide to their specification, installation, commissioning, inspection, maintenance, repair and disposal. Although some industry publications are available elsewhere, there has been little in the way of guidance, comparable to EEMUA 159 and 225, for users of […]
Radar’s Solutions For LPG Storage
Tomas Hasselgren at Emerson explains how integrating non-contacting radar level gauges into tank gauging systems provides an accurate solution Demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is increasing globally. A major reason for this growth is that LPG – a hydrocarbon gas consisting primarily of propane, butane, or a mixture of both – produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional solid fuels. This makes it a more environmentally friendly option for its various residential and commercial uses. As a result, some governments have implemented policies and initiatives to promote the use of LPG to reduce air pollution. LPG is also […]
LOHC Technology: Strengths & Weaknesses
Ion Agirre and Laura Barrio from the SherLOHCk project discuss the challenges of storing and transporting hydrogen Hydrogen is emerging as the preferred energy source in the battle against greenhouse gas emissions, with a notable emphasis on obtaining green hydrogen. Its integration with renewable sources is pivotal to smoothing out production fluctuations and facilitating energy transport. However, the challenge lies in storing and transporting hydrogen from renewable production sites to application points. The existing technologies for hydrogen storage primarily focuses on boosting its volumetric energy density, yet faces hurdles due to high pressures and low temperatures, slowing down the […]
6 Things To Consider When Insulating Storage Tanks
The experts at Owens Corning explain how to properly manage the risk of corrosion under insulation Industrial environments often present extreme conditions when it comes to insulating storage tanks and vessels. This includes a broad range of internal storage temperatures, volatile products and possible harsh weather conditions like high winds, flooding, and external temperature extremes. All these factors can place high pressure on storage tanks, so they need to be considered during the design phase – when the insulation system is specified. Corrosion on storage tank wall Corrosion Risk While insulation is typically installed to maintain […]
Will LNG Remain Strong in the USA?
The long-term pause in new US LNG investment could transform the market, according to Giles Farrer, head of gas and LNG asset research at Wood Mackenzie Addressing US President Joe Biden’s executive order to temporarily pause new approvals for LNG exports, Giles Farrer, head of gas and LNG asset research at Wood Mackenzie says: ‘The decision will not affect our forecast for US LNG exports out to 2028, but after that it could affect the trajectory and pace of the sector’s growth and have potential to tighten the market in the long run.’ The pause affects countries with which […]
