Fuel storage tank reconstruction & relining

[ Year: 2025 ]

[ Country: Ukraine ]

[ Industry: Chemical and petrochemical industry ]

Main Objective:

To execute the reconstruction of petroleum storage tanks, ensuring long-term internal and external anti-corrosion protection, installing storage parameters monitoring systems, and applying thermal insulation to maintain the product temperature at no less than 80°C.

Key Features:

the project initially specified shot blasting surface preparation prior to the application of the anti-corrosion coating;
during the cleaning process, it was found that the shot created excessive surface roughness, and its particles remained within the micro-cavities of the metal, which could adversely affect the adhesion of the anti-corrosion coating;
to ensure the required quality of surface preparation, it was decided to perform additional grit blasting touch-ups using quartz sand;
works were carried out under conditions of high humidity and frequent precipitation, which caused secondary flash rusting and hindered the curing of protective coatings;
to strictly follow the coating application technology, protective enclosures (shelters) were set up, and surface heating was organized using industrial heat guns;
critical damage to the steel structures of one of the tanks was discovered during dismantling. Due to severe corrosion wear, the load-bearing framework was completely replaced as part of additional works.

Implementation:

shot blasting of internal and external surfaces of the storage tanks;
additional grit blasting touch-ups with quartz sand to achieve the required Sa 2.5 surface preparation standard;
application of a multi-layer anti-corrosion lining system to the internal and external surfaces of the storage tanks;
installation of external thermal insulation on the storage tanks.

Result:

The storage tanks have been brought up to modern operational and steel structure protection requirements. Reliable anti-corrosion protection, monitoring of operational parameters, and maintenance of the required thermal conditions for petroleum storage have been successfully achieved.
Additionally, hidden defects in the steel structures discovered during the works were eliminated, significantly increasing the reliability and safety of the storage tanks' future operation.