Ground Storage Tanks Research Articles

Some distinctions of abroad LNG above ground storage tanks and recent developments of construction procedure (civil parts)

Some distinctions of abroad LNG above ground storage tanks and recent developments of construction procedure (civil parts)

Environmental liability and asset retirement obligations

Oil companies, partnerships and entities developed for the exploration and/or production of hydrocarbons typically invest for a reasonably certain period of time, with the assets projected to have little or no value at the end of their life cycle. Historically, production facilities were decommissioned as cost effectively as possible, with limited consideration of the cost of this practice being factored into the initial costs or operating budgets, and the salvage value of the scrap metal was applied to cover the cost of the demolition. Today, most oil and gas producers are required to account for the estimated future cost of dismantling and removing facilities and equipment, as well as restoring land to its previous condition. The estimated costs for future dismantling, removal, and restoration are different to other costs associated with the acquisition and use of productive assets. The impact of potential environmental expenses associated with these practices typically occurs after an asset has ceased production. Planning for environmental costs for asset retirement obligations (AROs) is ideally conducted during the asset's operating life. This is so that compliance costs and other operating expenses are recorded consistently in conformance with accounting policies and regulations. Tentatively identified AROs include: asbestos, batteries, PCB transformers, underground or above ground storage tanks, well abandonment, waste impoundments, mercury, and other components of an active producing facility. Operators need to identify specific performance requirements that may impose obligations on their organisation. Federal, state and local requirements need be considered, as they apply to specific operating conditions.

Stock loss studies on breathing loss of gasoline

Abstract Volatile nature of gasoline is the prime reason for various kinds of losses, which occur during the course of retailing operation. Standing storage or breathing loss, the expulsion of hydrocarbon vapors, occurs during tranquil condition from the gasoline storage tank. Estimation of breathing loss is vital as it occurs endlessly, consequently affecting the environment and economy of the nation. Present study proposes an empirical model to evaluate breathing loss of under ground storage (UGS) and above ground storage (AGS) tanks using easily accessible variables.

A Cooperative Effort: Take a Team Approach to Tackle Disinfectant Residual Problems

This article discusses an effort by the Pompano Beach (Florida) Utilities Department to improve disinfectant residual levels by using remote chlorine, pressure sensors and field sampling to analyze the situation. The supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for each lift station near an identified point was upgraded to send data on water system chlorine residual and pressure. The ability to see trends in disinfectant residual levels allowed utility personnel to better understand the effect of procedural changes or flushing activities that included the following: modifying ground storage tank (GST) operations; optimizing chlorine‐to‐ammonia ratios; managing excess capacity; flushing effectively; investigating forced‐flow flushing; and, proving to staff that long‐established habits can be changed only by proving the success of a new method.

PROTOCOL FOR ASSESSING THE EXTENT OF CRUDE OIL SPILLED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA FOLLOWING HURRICANE KATRINA, ST. BERNARD PARISH, LOUISIANA

ABSTRACT Floodwater associated with the Hurricane Katrina'S storm surge (August 29, 2005) displaced and damaged a 250,000 barrel above ground storage tank at Murphy Oil Corporation'S Meraux Refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana. Crude oil was released and was dispersed into the nearby and evacuated residential and commercial area by the retreating floodwaters. The assessment, which began September 18, involved biased sampling and “chemical fingerprinting” of interior and exterior wipe samples (from the visually-evident “bathtub rings” on structures) and interior and exterior sediments from over 6000 homes, businesses, churches, and schools. Crude oil from the failed tank was thoroughly characterized using chemical fingerprinting. Over 14,000 Tier 1 (GC/FID) chromatographic (EPA Method 8015B) analyses were conducted as a means of mapping the overall lateral extent, concentration, and continuity of the crude oil impact. These Tier 1 GC/FID analyses revealed the extent of crude oil contamination in the area, as well as the widespread occurrence of (1) non-crude oil, petroleum-derived contamination (e.g., engine lube oils, hydraulic oils, diesel fuel, household lubricants) and (2) allochthonous natural organic matter (e.g., peat and plant materials) from surrounding marshes that was carried and dispersed by the floodwater. Tier 2 fingerprinting involving quantitative petroleum biomarker data generated using GC/MS-SIM (modified EPA Method 8270) was conducted on a selected subset of samples. When the biomarker-based diagnostic ratios were evaluated statistically, the presence/absence of the crude oil, even at concentrations below residential standards, was established. This information was used to develop and govern a settlement and remedial program with the affected property owners, and to defend against claims brought by unaffected parties.

A PV pumping station for drinking water in a remote residential complex

A photovoltaic application project was designed to pump drinking water from an appropriate well to a residential complex located in a remote area near the Iraqi-Syrian boarder. The system comprises, solar modules array, voltage controller, inverter and a submersible. A ground storage tank of 130 m 3 is also used to store the pumped water that distributed to the complex. The work includes an evolution performance of one year operation of the whole system.

Integrity Inspection of above Ground Storage Tanks

Integrity Inspection of above Ground Storage Tanks

발파진동에 대한 인접한 지상 저장탱크의 안정성 평가

The test blasts were carried out by detonating some single blastholes at two upper sites of the underground storage cavern for the crude oil. One was performed at the entrance site of the construction tunnel and the other at the middle area of the underground storage cavern. Based on the blast-induced nitration measured by the test blasts, we suggested the propagation equations of blasting vibration that were capable of estimating the peak particle velocity. In addition, in order to assess the stability of the adjacent ground storage tank, we did the frequency analysis and the response spectrum analysis with the particle velocity-time history and the particle acceleration-time history that were measured by the test blast carried out on the entrance site of the construction tunnel. In result, it was predicted that the displacement on the highest part of the tank shell was less than the allowable displacement.

Underside Corrosion of above Ground Storage Tanks (ASTs)

Underside corrosion of a failed above ground storage tank (AST) was investigated by the physio-chemical analysis of water sample that was ingress between the tank bottom plate and the concrete foundation. The results of the water sample analysis showed pH (5.8), temperature (30°C), Conductivity (4800 μs/cm), dissolved oxygen (3.5mg/l), chloride (674mg/l), carbonate (16.90mg/l) and nitrate (23.10mg/l). The levels of the parameters studied were generally high and above statutory safe limits. The results showed that the physico-chemical characteristics of the water sample have diagnostic and predictive values to implicate and promote underside corrosion of the studied above ground storage tank. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 9(1) 2005: 161-163

Getting High on the Job — Safely!

This article discusses an emergency plan at San Antonio's Bexar Metropolitan Water District for its high‐angle activities. The District brought in a high‐angle safety course for selected supervisory personnel and purchased “fall‐arrest” personal protective equipment (PPE) such as full‐body harnesses, double‐lanyards with self‐locking snaphooks, and large auto‐locking carabiners for all of its designated climbers. The climbing safety training will be used for climbing any water structure more than 12 ft. high such as the District's 14 elevated storage tanks, standpipes and ground storage tanks. The article lists the guidelines included in its standard operating procedures for climbing safety.

Thermal and economical analysis of a central solar heating system with underground seasonal storage in Turkey

Thermal performance and economic feasibility of two types of central solar heating system with seasonal storage under four climatically different Turkey locations are investigated. The effects of storage volume and collector area on the thermal performance and cost are studied for three load sizes. The simulation model of the system consisting of flat plate solar collectors, a heat pump, under ground storage tank and heating load based on a finite element analysis and finite element code ANSYS™ is chosen as a convenient tool. In this study, the lowest solar fraction value for Trabzon (41°N) and the highest solar fraction value for Adana (37°N) are obtained. Based on the economic analysis, the payback period of system is found to be about 25–35 years for Turkey.

Capacitance based mass metering for cryogenic fluids

This paper describes a method for measuring the mass of cryogenic fluids in on-board rocket propellant tanks or ground storage tanks. Linear approximations to the Clausius–Mossotti relationship serve as the foundation for a capacitance based mass sensor, regardless of fluid density stratification or tank shape. Sensor design considerations are presented along with the experimental results for a capacitance based mass gage tested in liquid nitrogen. This test data is shown to be consistent with theory resulting in a demonstrated mass measurement accuracy of ±0.75% and a deviation from linearity of less than ±0.30% of full scale mass. Theoretical accuracies are also shown to be ±0.73% for hydrogen and ±1.39% for oxygen for a select range of pressures and temperatures.

Geophysical Investigation of Vadose Zone Conductivity Anomalies at a Hydrocarbon Contaminated Site: Implications for the Assessment of Intrinsic Bioremediation

Electromagnetic (EM-31), dc resistivity, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) methods were used to investigate part of a former refinery site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. The study area is underlain by about [Formula: see text] of heterogeneous glacial drift deposits overlying a sandy outwash unit. Three large above ground storage tanks (ASTs) formerly occupied the study area and were removed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in 1997. EM-31 surveys revealed eight remnants of buried pipe ranging from [Formula: see text] to more than [Formula: see text] in length. Emanating from some of these abandoned pipe segments are extensive near surface conductivity anomalies, with values ranging from [Formula: see text] to greater than [Formula: see text] vs. background values of less than [Formula: see text]. GPR and dipole-dipole resistivity surveys performed along selected profiles with anomalous conductive zones revealed a channel form within the shallow subsurface. Shallow hand augured soil borings into these conductive zones encountered hydrocarbons perched on thin clay lenses, or trapped in low permeability sandy-silt layers, while borings in background conductivity areas showed only clean sand and silt. We also observed that areas underlain by clays in association with perched hydrocarbons exhibited a higher conductivity (greater than [Formula: see text] and up to [Formula: see text]) when compared to areas underlain by uncontaminated clays. Based on these observations and results of our prior work in similar settings, we infer that the conductivity anomalies may be due to the occurrence of intrinsic biodegradation of the hydrocarbons. Thus, the previous conductive model originally proposed by our research group for ‘aged’ hydrocarbon spills at the water table can be extended upward to include vadose zone occurrences of biodegradation of these contaminants. The findings from this study have significant implications for the use of geophysical techniques in the assessment of vadose zone biodegradation.

A Model Study Using Fluorescein as a Fluorescent Probe for Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater

The quantity of gasoline and middle distillate fuels in transit and storage makes these fuels the most common hydrocarbon contaminants in groundwater. Groundwater can be contaminated by hydrocarbons from surface spills, transportation accidents, leaking above ground storage tanks, leaking underground service station tanks, and leaking interstate pipelines. Groundwater flows can be tracked by many methods, but fluorescence detection of dyes is both simple and easy. Fluorescein is a dye that has been successfully used for tracing groundwater flow. This dye is easily detectable at the 10-11 M concentration and is relatively nontoxic. Results from this study showed that gasoline-contaminated water does not reduce the fluorescence intensity of fluorescein, but that a like amount of middle distillate does diminish the fluorescence intensity of fluorescein.

Modeling Teleoperated Tank Waste Removal at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ABSTRACTOne of the pervasive problems facing the Department of Energy's (DOE) national research facilities are the large volumes of stored radioactive waste. Historically, much of this waste, generated during the cold war, is contained in under ground storage tanks. Unfortunately, many of these tanks are showing signs of aging and fatigue. Subsequently, there is an aggressive DOE program directed at identifying existing technologies that can safely remove material from these facilities for storage in more stable environments. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), teaming with industry and other laboratories, has designed, developed, and integrated a remotely operated waste removal system. This manuscript describes this system as well as the modeling and simulation effort performed prior to system integration and operation. The modeling effort includes a novel dynamic model of multiple robots coupled by an elastic hose. The result of a simulation study, presented in the latter part of the manuscript, provi...

Contaminated Water Storage Tanks Create Health Concerns

Data compiled in the summer of 1994 indicate that, like cross‐connections, elevated and ground storage tanks are a major source of drinking water contamination in the distribution system.

Technical note: Improved cathodic protection under above ground tank with coating containing solid electrolyte

A new technique for controlling the external corrosion of above ground storage tank bottoms has been developed, based on the combined application of a special coating system and impressed current cathodic protection. It is characterised by a specially formulated paint which contains the solid electrolyte sodium β” (β)-alumina as an ionically conducting component. Because of the close proximity of the cathodically protected surface to the coating anode, the approach has significant advantages over conventional cathodic protection systems. The feasibility of the proposed technique has been verified both by laboratory tests and in practical applications.

Nondestructive examination of above ground storage tanks for leak detection

Nondestructive examination of above ground storage tanks for leak detection

Performance of Series Solar-Assisted Heat Pump Systems in TECH House I

Two configurations of series solar assisted heat pumps were experimentally evaluated in TECH House I on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, Tenn. During the 1979–1980 heating season, a 4.2 m3 (1100 gal) insulated above ground storage tank was utilized. During the 1980–1981 heating season, the storage system consisted of an uninsulated 7.6 m3 (2000 gal) steel tank buried 2.1 m (7 ft) in the ground. For 1979–1980 the heating season system performance factor was 2.42 and the system’s maximum peak electric demand was 11.20 kW. For 1980–1981 the heating season performance factor increased to 3.16 while the maximum peak electric demand decreased to 4.33 kW.

Energy Conservation in Municipal Water Systems

Many utilities control the operation of their raw‐ and finished‐water pumps according to the water levels in their ground storage or elevated storage tanks. The practice of keeping storage tanks full or nearly full may not be necessary in terms of energy consumption, though. This article provides a case study of two distribution systems with differing hydraulic, pressure, and flow constraints. By modifying water storage levels and pump use patterns, each utility could save significant amounts of energy. A discussion of electric rates and special power service contracts is included. The first part of this two‐part article appeared in the July 1984 issue of Opflow (type DIALOG AN 0011114).