Tank Foundation and Floor Designs and Best Practices for Improved Corrosion Control

Overview

Fast Facts
Project No.	1017
Contract No.	693JK32310013POTA
Research Award Recipient	Pipeline Research Council International 4795 Meadow Wood Lane, Suite 135E Chantilly, Virginia 20151 Phone:703-205-1600 Fax:703-205-1607 Chantilly, VA 20151
AOR/TTI	Zaid Obeidi Ben Kendrick Andrea Ceartin
Researcher Contact Info	Kevin C. Garrity, MEARS GROUP, INC. 9017 Heritage Drive, Plain City, OH, 43064 Phone: 614.504.5722 \| Fax: 614 504-5725 E-mail: kevin.garrity@mears.net

Financial and Status Data
Project Status	Active
Start Fiscal Year	2023 (09/30/2023)
End Fiscal Year	2025 (09/30/2025)
PHMSA $$ Budgeted	$394,003.00

Main Objective

The objective of this project is to evaluate various tank configurations including foundation designs, bottom designs, and corrosion control equipment to develop methods and best practices for monitoring for corrosion, improving corrosion control, detecting leaks, and mitigating potential damage caused by leaks. These efforts are intended to improve public and environmental safety associated with breakout and other ASTs built with different foundation designs and equipment.

The scope for this project includes new and existing ASTs with a focus on those in breakout service. Additional tank records that may be sought and reviewed include non-breakout tanks if they are built or have been modified to non-traditional designs or materials and will further the goals of this research. Records targeted include those pertaining to a tank's foundation and floor including construction, construction inspection, as-builts, routine inspection such as out-of-service inspection floor scans, floor repair history associated with bottom side corrosion, CP inspection records, and any other tank modification documents that are associated with the objectives and scope of this project.

Public Abstract

The objective of this research is to assess a multitude of tank foundation designs used in conjunction with corrosion control measures, release prevention, and leak detection practices to develop a concise understanding of successful methodologies and combinations of best practices that can lead to the development of industry standards for such practices.

This research will be completed through a combination of detailed literature review, and a compilation and analysis of available data from detailed inspection of tank floors to establish the corrosion relationships from tanks with varying floor configurations, corrosion control equipment, and leak detection and release prevention barriers. To achieve this objective, a statistical comparison of corrosion distribution and severity (rates) from operator data will be compiled for single bottom tanks with cathodic protection and double bottom tanks with and without cathodic protection on the primary bottom. These results will be correlated with tank foundation and floor construction practices. Emphasis will be placed on a review and analysis of previous and ongoing PRCI research in corrosion control and monitoring, the use of vapor corrosion inhibitors (VCI) to inhibit corrosion and leak detection practices for breakout tanks.