Advantages of Bolted Steel Tanks in the Oil Storage Industry

Bolted tanks have been a popular storage solution in the oil industry for decades. These steel storage tanks are made up of individual panels that are bolted together on-site, creating a large, durable, and flexible storage solution that can be customized to fit specific requirements. In this blog, we will explore the relevance of bolted tanks in the oil industry and their many advantages.

Key Advantages of Bolted Tanks in the Oil Industry

  • Flexibility – Bolted tanks can be customized to fit specific requirements, whether it’s for oil storage or for water treatment. They can be constructed in various sizes and shapes, and the number of panels can be adjusted as per the needs. This flexibility is critical when dealing with limited space or unusual site conditions.
  • Durability – Bolted steel storage tanks are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and corrosive substances, such as oil. They are made of high-quality steel, which is coated with a protective layer to prevent rust and corrosion. This makes them a reliable and long-lasting storage solution for the oil industry.
  • Cost-Effective – Bolted tanks are an affordable alternative to other storage solutions, such as welded steel tanks or concrete tanks. They require less maintenance, which makes them a cost-effective storage solution in the long run.
  • Easy Installation – Bolted tanks can be installed quickly and easily. The individual panels can be transported easily to the site and assembled on-site, which reduces transportation and labor costs. This quick installation time is especially important in the oil industry, where time is of the essence.
  • Easy Maintenance – Bolted steel tanks require minimal maintenance. The protective coating on the steel panels prevents corrosion and rust, and any damaged panels can be easily replaced without having to dismantle the entire tank.
  • API Spec Q1 – Superior Tank Co., Inc. is one of two storage tank manufacturers in the world certified with the prestigious API 12-B Monogram and the API Spec Q1 license. The API Monogram licensing program ensures that all products manufactured by Superior Tank are in conformance to product specifications and management system requirements.  

The oil sector requires a reliable and durable storage solution that can withstand the harsh conditions of oil storage. Bolted tanks offer the flexibility and durability that the industry needs. They can be customized to fit specific requirements, and their cost-effectiveness makes them an attractive storage solution for the industry.

Bolted storage tanks are used in the oil industry to store crude oil, refined products, and other substances such as water, brine, and chemicals. They are also used for water treatment, which is a critical process in the oil industry. Bolted tanks are used to store water for injection into oil wells, which helps to increase oil production.

A Water Tank For All

water-tank-everyone

With water playing such an integral part of our daily lives, it’s easy to see and understand the necessity behind having water storage tanks. Storage tanks provide both water storage volume and pressure to distribution systems which feed communities, businesses and consumers across the globe. These systems can feed into anything from public water systems, irrigation systems, wastewater plants, water treatment facilities and even directly into your home.

As such, it only makes sense that water take on different forms according to the application which it is being used for or generated from. For example, the most common to the average person would be drinking water, also known as, potable water. This particular application of water storage requires a specialized NSF-61 approved interior powder coating, which meets the regulatory health effects requirements for drinking water and municipal water system components. Fortunately for our customers, this is one of the many regulatory compliances and standards Superior Tank is able to meet, and exceed, with our steel storage tanks. Our epoxy-coated carbon steel storage tanks are some of the most durable and longest lasting water tanks in the industry and are capable of storing & distributing a variety of different types of water, such as:

  • Brackish Water
  • Brine Water
  • Deionized Water
  • Demineralized Water
  • Desalinated Water
  • Distilled Water
  • Irrigation Water
  • Municipal Water
  • Process Water
  • Raw Water
  • Aquafarming Water
  • Reclaim Water
  • Saltwater
  • Stormwater
  • Treated Water

These varying forms of water and wastewater are crucial to so many different processes which work behind the scenes, day in and day out, to ensure the basic functions of our working society continue to operate.  With these processes, come their integration within different systems, each serving their own purpose to fulfill the obligations set forth by cities, municipalities, businesses and governments to serve their citizens and communities. Over the last 36 years, our bolted and welded water storage tanks have been utilized across many types of systems in numerous countries around the world.

  • Aeration Tanks
  • Aerobic Digesters
  • Anaerobic Digesters
  • Clarifiers
  • Desalination Plants
  • Effluent Tanks
  • Equalization Tanks
  • Filter Tanks
  • Fire Protection Tanks
  • Frac Tanks
  • Leachate Storage
  • Mining Clarifiers
  • Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
  • Settling Tanks
  • Aquaculture
  • Sludge Treatment Tanks
  • Slurry Tanks
  • Stormwater Capture Systems
  • Wash Tanks
  • Wastewater Treatment Systems

Our ability to design and fabricate a fully customized storage solution for your water project is backed by decades of product knowledge and project experience. This gives our customers the confidence in working alongside one of the leading bolted tank manufacturers in the industry to expertly guide them through their tank project – resulting in a high-quality water storage tank, seamlessly integrated into their water system.

Storage Terminals Magazine Feature

We are excited to share our profile in Storage Terminals Magazine’s 2021 Products & Profiles Supplement. In this 1st Edition of Products & Profiles, Storage Terminal Magazine features many products dedicated to storage tanks and storage terminals – and we are pleased to be featured alongside some of biggest names in the global storage tank industry.

Superior Tank is a leading manufacturer of API-12B certified bolted steel storage tanks. Sitting as one of only 2 storage tank manufacturers in the world who carry the prestigious API 12-B Monogram. & API Spec Q1 license, we are trusted by many storage terminal operators to engineer, fabricate and install high-quality and long-lasting storage solutions. Click here to request a quote or to speak with one of our tank specialists who can assist you with your next tank project. 

Storage Terminals Magazine is the premium business magazine for executives, technicians, engineers and all professionals working in the global bulk liquids storage industry. With its high-level content, industry expert contributions and unparalleled global news coverage, Storage Terminals Magazine gives you the information you need to make your business run smoother, safer and more profitably. 

5 Key Benefits To Powder Coating

Straightforward Touch-Up & Repair.

When it comes to a field touch-up or repair, there’s no coating finish better suited for this type of work than powder coating. By utilizing a 2-part liquid epoxy, staves can be easily repaired in the field with no specialized tools or extra mobilizations required. Now, depending on the extent of the damage, a simple coating touch-up may be all that is required – which is good for your tank and your wallet. Should the damage to the stave be more extensive and concentrated in one area, another viable option includes patching the damaged area – which would require minimal downtime of the tank, but would be more economical than a full stave replacement.

In looking at other types of coatings, such as glass-fused-to-steel, concrete, plastic or redwood tanks, field touch ups and repairs may not be so straight forward. Each type of coating requires its own special process for addressing these issues, which includes specialized equipment & personnel and down time for your tank – costing both you and your project time and money you don’t need to waste.

100% Coating Uniformity.

For complete coating uniformity, no look further than a Superior Tank factory powder coated steel storage tank. As the first storage tank manufacturer to introduce powder coatings to the AWWA-D103 standard for bolted steel storage tanks, we are experts in the field of dry powder application to steel storage tanks. Through mastering the art of powder coating, we are able to ensure that each stave receives 100% uniform coverage across every square inch. This is down to our electrostatic process, where each stave is electrically grounded, that way the charged powder particle is able to adhere to the steel and remain there until melted and fused into a smooth coating inside the curing oven. This process allows for a uniform, durable finish with a design life of up to 30+ years with proper maintenance. For maintenance tips and services, click here.

It’s Environmentally-Friendly.

Powder coating contains no solvents, which means that it emits a very negligible, if any, amount of polluting VOC’s into the air. VOC’s, otherwise known as Volatile Organic Compounds, are human-made chemicals which can evaporate into the air and lead to poor air quality. The emission of VOCs is typically found with the use of liquid coatings, due to their high use of solvents. Additionally, the use of dry powder presents a huge environmental advantage, as up to 98% of the powder overspray can be recycled and reused. This minimizes a large majority of waste and for any small amount of waste left over, it can be disposed of easily and economically to comply with environmental compliance standards.

High Impact Resistance

Powder coatings possess a wide range of performance characteristics, impact resistance being one of the most prominent. Utilized on thousands of products across a variety of industries in your everyday life, thermosetting powder coatings have proven to be amongst the most durable and aesthetically pleasing coating finishes on the market. Applied on everything from automobiles and buildings to major appliances and common household items, it is easy to understand the efficiencies and positives in choosing powder coating as the preferred coating finish for a water or crude oil steel storage tanks.

Taking a deeper look at the impact resistance properties of our exterior TGIC Polyester powder coating, Superior Sand, we look to the Standard Test Method of Resistance of Organic Coatings to the Effects of Rapid Deformation (Impact), better known as, ASTM D2794. According to our results achieved through ASTM D2794, our exterior TGIC polyester powder coating scored a PASS score of 160 lbs per every square inch – which is up to 5x MORE resistant than glass-fused-to-steel coatings! So, if durability and impact resistance is what you are looking for, then we’ve got what you need.

Outstanding Corrosion Protection

Unlike liquid epoxy or paints, which are mechanically bonded, our powder coating system is fusion bonded. By applying a fusion-bonded epoxy powder coating system to the interior of our steel storage tank, it allows for a greater level of thicknesses to be obtained through a single pass processing system. This creates a durable, high quality coating which exhibits outstanding corrosion resistance properties across a large variety of corrosive and non-corrosive liquids and applications. Not to mention, when coupled with our innovative SiZr Seal, you can expect an increased amount of coating adhesion and the highest level of corrosion protection. The below lab tests exemplify how the SiZr seal is able to quickly slow the spread of corrosion and minimize the undercutting done to the steel.

Manufactured in the USA

 

To better meet the growing needs of our customers and requirements set forth by government-funded projects, Superior Tank offers AIS & Buy American-compliant steel storage tanks. Available to both our national and international customers, purchasing a Buy-American or AIS compliant storage tank ensures that your storage tank has met the statutes and requirements laid out by each of these certifications. Used for municipal, government, DSA, and other public works projects, these certifications provide proof that the materials used to manufacture the storage tank, as well as the manufacturing process itself, takes place in the United States. This ensures a higher standard of quality, greater safety standard, use of more advanced technology, reduced costs for delivery and protection of American jobs

Buy-American

In meeting the statutes outlined in the Buy American Act, Superior Tank has the ability to offer an above-ground steel storage tank which is considered a “domestic end product.” Being considered a “domestic end product” involves passing a two-part test focused on the manufacturing location & process of our bolted and welded steel storage tanks. To learn more about this two-part test and how Superior Tank complies with the Buy American Act, please visit our Buy American Compliance page.

Customers may request Certified Material Test Reports (MTR’s) in order to comply with any project regulations or provisions which require completed testing and analysis on the materials used to construct the steel storage tank.

American Iron & Steel Compliance (AIS)

Compliance with the American Iron & Steel (AIS) provision is an essential part of receiving funding from various State Revolving Funds for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public water system or wastewater treatment project. In utilizing the National Product Waiver of Minor Components in Iron & Steel Products, AIS ensures that “all manufacturing processes, including application of coatings, must take place in the US […] All manufacturing processes include processes such as melting, refining, forming, rolling, drawing, finishing, fabrication and coating.” (EPA Memo, Page 6). This waiver confirms Superior Tank’s ability to comply with the American Iron & Steel provisions and provide a storage tank certified to receive funding from State Revolving Funds. Additionally, Superior Tank can provide a signed AIS Letter of Certification stating the product’s full compliance with all AIS provisions and subsequent statutes.

For more information on the State Revolving Fund American Iron & Steel (AIS) Requirement and how Superior Tank complies with these requirements, visit our AIS Compliance page.

Please be aware that notice of Buy American or AIS-compliance must be made known to your Superior Tank Sales Representative at the time of quotation and ordering in order to properly prepare all documentation and materials prior to beginning manufacturing.

 

Standard Update for Potable Water Coatings!

NSF Updates

On January 1, 2023, NSF. Std. 61 will be updating its requirements for potable water coatings and linings to the new standard, NSF/ANSI/Can Std. 600 or NSF 600. NSF 600 will require all coatings, which come in contact with potable water, to greatly reduce the extracted levels of solvents present in the coatings.

This is nothing new for Superior Tank.

For the last 35 years, we have continued to offer our customers the highest-grade powder coatings on the market, which are prepared to meet and exceed the ever-changing standards & project requirements laid out by various industries and applications. As the pioneers in applying powder coatings to the bolted steel tank, we possess the knowledge and experience necessary to ensure your storage tank remains in-tact and functional, while its contents remain clean and free of contamination.

It is our job, as your storage tank provider, to stay up-to-date on changing industry regulations – so you don’t have to. This couldn’t be more important for industries such as potable water. Providing potable water storage tanks, which supply drinking water to municipalities, water districts and communities across the US and the world, remains a large part of our business here at Superior Tank. It is extremely important that our customers understand that we are and will always keep our customer informed regarding any potential changes to rules & regulations affecting the consumption of potable, or drinking, water.

In this case, it is the update from the widely known NSF. Std. 61 to the NSF. Std. 600 standard. With the NSF. 600 standard update, customers can expect to receive a coating system which displays the following characteristics when storing drinking water:

  • 100% Solids
  • Zero Solvents
  • Zero VOC’s

Additionally, unlike many other types of storage tanks, a Superior Tank factory powder coated bolted steel storage tank does NOT require a rubber or PVC liner – which means more money in your pocket!

The reason our bolted steel storage tanks don’t require a liner… our interior epoxy powder coating, Tank Tan. Tank Tan is the industry-leading thermosetting fusion-bonded epoxy powder coating system which meets both NSF. 61/600 certifications and has outstanding chemical and corrosion resistant properties. Together with our innovative SiZr seal for added protection, a Superior Tank bolted steel storage tank serves the perfect storage solution for your potable water storage needs.

To learn more about our Tank Tan interior epoxy powder coating, as well as other interior and exterior powder coating options available, visit our Coatings webpage.

API-12B Monogram Oil Storage Tanks: Durable. Efficient. Effective

API-12B Composite

In today’s current economic environment, the need for quick and economical crude oil storage solutions is at an all time high. Oil producers and traders across the globe are looking for cost-effective solutions to store excess oil in a timely manner, as we patiently wait for the recovery of our industry and economy.

As the leader in above-ground bolted steel storage tanks, Superior Tank’s ability to offer a high value temporary or permanent storage solutions, complimented by an encompassing scope of project services remains uncontested. With over 35 years of experience and knowledge working in the oil and gas industry, Superior Tank’s industry-leading powder coating process and innovative tank designs has led to thousands of new tank projects around the world, as well as countless refurbishments of existing bolted tanks from other industry participants.

Currently, Superior Tank is offering a 4 – 6-week lead time for all API 12-B Monogram-licensed bolted steel storage tanks. Ranging in capacities from 100 – 10,000 BBLs, Superior Tank’s crude oil storage solutions are of the highest grade, quality and value in the market. For larger non-monogrammed storage tanks, custom sizing configurations are available. AIS and Buy-American storage tanks are also available upon request.

Easily packaged, shipped and installed, a Superior Tank bolted steel storage tank is the perfect solution for your immediate crude oil or petroleum storage needs. Standing as one of the only bolted steel storage tank manufacturers to offer both API Monogram and non-monogramed API-12B storage tanks, Superior Tank continues to push the standard in terms of products and in-house services made available to our customers worldwide.

Our commitment to standing alongside our industry partners during this difficult time is of the highest priority for us here at Superior Tank. We remain open and readily available to ensure everyone has continued access to these essential services, which remain critical to the health, safety and well-being of our communities.

HAPPY DRINKING WATER WEEK!

Water not only plays a vital role in our line of business, but in our daily lives. Access to clean water for washing hands, cleaning food, washing dishes and flushing toilets is something that we take for granted. It’s easy for us to turn on the faucet or flush the toilet and expect water to be there, but what we don’t realize, is how much work goes on behind the scenes to make those simple tasks happen.

This is why Superior Tank would like to take this week and observe the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) #DrinkingWaterWeek2020 to show our utmost appreciation to all the water service professionals for their hard work and dedication to ensure that clean drinking water is #ThereWhenYouNeedIt.

Especially during difficult times like these, our dependence on reliable water services for hygiene, hydration and cooking is critical to the health and safety of our communities. All the work done, day in and day out, by our water service professionals, and first responders, throughout this entire COVID-19 crisis has been nothing short of spectacular. And for that, we say THANK YOU!

We here at Superior Tank take great pride in being a part of the process which provides millions of people around the world access to clean drinking water every day.  Storage is a critical aspect in the distribution process after the water has gone through its various designated treatment processes. To learn more about Superior Tank’s line of above-ground bolted and welded steel storage tanks and our role in water infrastructure, check out the rest of our website.

For more information on your water’s journey from collection to consumption, we encourage you to contact your water provider to learn more about the key processes and show your appreciation for their efforts.

Additional information on Drinking Water Week 2020 can be found here.

Superior Tank Website now available in Spanish!

To better accommodate all of our Spanish-speaking customers, Superior Tank has officially launched the Spanish text version of our recently remodeled website.

As a Hispanic-owned company, with many employees who speak Spanish, we understand the importance of making all information and resources readily available in Spanish so they may be easily consumed by all. We want to make sure that each of our clients and partners fully understand our processes and feel confident in communicating with us, so that we can begin to build the trust necessary to make your next bolted tank project a success.

Thank you to all of our customers worldwide for your continued support and we look forward to working with you on your next project.

National Fire Prevention Week 2019

Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Agency, also known as NFPA, has sponsored the national public observance of Fire Prevention Week during the week of October 9th, in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. As the longest-running public health observance in the United States, Fire Prevention Week aims to educate people of all ages on how to stay safe in the case of a fire, in an effort to drastically decrease the number of casualties caused by fires.

For Fire Prevention Week 2019, the campaign chosen by the NFPA is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” This campaign works to educate everyone about the small yet important actions each of us can take to keep both ourselves and those around us safe during a fire. Split second decisions can make all the difference on whether or not a safe escape is possible. In recent years, we’ve seen the possible devastation caused by fires to our wildland areas, our communities, and neighbors. This is why educational resources and related teachings during Fire Prevention Week are so critical to the safety of our communities, because not only do they prepare us for the incident but they give us the insight needed to make the right decision and react promptly under these dire circumstances.

For us at Superior Tank, the fire protection industry serves as one of our largest and most important markets. Every year, we ship hundreds of bolted and welded fire protection steel storage tanks from our manufacturing facilities to customers around the world, as part of both small- and large-scale projects designed to suppress fires. Our fire protection storage tanks are designed to meet the specifications of any fire suppression, fire sprinkler, building, or wildland fire protection project. Backed with decades of knowledge and experience, Superior Tank has the ability to provide both NFPA compliant and FM Approved certified storage tanks, giving you the peace of mind needed when dealing with stringent specifications and agency inspections.

We are committed to providing each customer with a quality storage fire protection tank prepared to operate consistently at a high performing level to ensure the safety of their facility and employees. As described by the NFPA, A hero can also be…someone who takes small, but important actions to keep themselves and those around them safe from fire.” We only hope that our storage tanks can act as that important action designed keep each and every one our customers fully prepared and safe from any and all fire threats.

Visit our Fire Protection page to learn more about our bolted and welded steel storage tanks, our certifications and updates regarding our product line. Also, be sure to follow us on social media throughout Fire Prevention Week as we showcase some of our fire protection storage tanks, tips on how stay safe during a fire, and showcase our newest product, the Heli-Hydrant!

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