AUTOMATION OF PETROLEUM STORAGE TANK LEAKAGE THROUGH PRODUCT TRANSFER CONTROL USING PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER

Abstract

Industrial storage tanks have always been a critical part of the petrochemical industry due to their capacity to either act as a buffer to other plant processes or simply to store enormous amounts of fluids for a long period of time in a controlled environment. These petroleum storage tanks are supposedly constructed to follow specific sets of instructions guided by the American Petroleum Industry from the type of material used up to the welding procedure. But due to inefficient construction, unmaintained and uninspected problems, welding defects, and environmental concerns among others, a leak in a storage tank can occur and will be a major problem as this can cause fire, explosion, and environmental hazards. Additionally, due to tensions between Ukraine and the Russian government and the succeeding Russian ban on oil imports, the cost of 1 barrel of oil rises at an alarming since 2020. With that in mind, an automation procedure is proposed by the researchers, to save as much of this oil from leaking and being unusable and to reduce the causes of further accidents. This paper not only seeks to use an existing tank layout, with currently installed level indicator transmitters, motor-operated control valves, and other equipment, but also to introduce flammable gas detectors that could detect the leaked petroleum on the ground and would initiate the automation procedure. The automation setup was realized by flowcharts, PLC, and ladder logic simulation using Picosoft software. Automation procedures are analyzed wherein the tanks are being filled, the trucks are being loaded, a leaking tank has its contents pumped to another tank, and a leaking tank has its contents pumped to the truck loading station. Results show that a minimum number of 8.89 barrels of oil saved could breakeven the cost of an estimated amount of $80-90 dollars per barrel of oil can be saved by the proposed automation.