RESULT OF OBSERVATION

Today, the Operations Co-ordinator reported that the foam chambers on most of the tanks in the
Tank Farm were rusting. This needs critical action as the foam chamber is very essential in fighting
fire on the tanks. Further inspection revealed that the periphery of the flanges of the foam chamber,
were either susceptible to rust or have badly rusted.
T3010, T3011, T3012, T3013 and T3015 have their foam chamber paint coatings wearing
out. It was also revealed that during construction, most of the flanges connecting the tank were
wrapped with paper material. These wrapped flanges were left out during painting works and
unfortunately, due to exposure to the harsh weather conditions at the tanks apex, these paper
wrappings have been partially ripped off exposing the flanges to the mercy of the weather.

Most of the bolts are badly rusting. Though grease were applied on them last month to stop the
rusting, this however doesnt last since strong winds and rain have removed most of the grease that
were used in coating the bolts and nuts.
The most serious of these is on T3014. All the three foam chambers on the tank are badly
rusting especially at their flanges connecting to the shell plates and the flanges on the walkway of
the tank roof. The paint coatings have peeled off badly and the metal surface is terribly rusted. Here
too, the grease that was applied on the bolts and nuts has been washed out.





The edge of the aluminium dome roofs at T3013 are bending as a result of the effect of the
wind. The roofs on all the tanks are not securely bonded to the tank shell; as a result, wind getting
underneath the dome roof periphery has a high tendency of lifting the roof upward. This needs to be
urgently looked at as soon as possible.

It was also observed that the pressure relief valves on the receipt line on T3014 and T3011
are leaking at their joints. For T3014, it is not too serious however the leakage on T3011 is peeling
off the paint coatings.


SOLUTIONS
It is clear that using grease for lubrication of equipment at the apex of the tank is not
entirely appropriate. It will be best if all the foam chambers, pipes, bolts and nuts are coated with
marine paints. This will ensure that the problem with rust on top of the tank is entirely mitigated.
The best we can do with securing the roof to the tank is by bracing, i.e. providing a support
that connects the periphery of the dome roof to the tank shell plates. By doing this all round the
tank, the tendency for uplifting the roof due to strong winds is minimised.
The current installation of the pressure relief valve using union joints is not the best. Flanges
with gaskets should have been provided at each end of the pressure relief valve. But this can only be
done during major tank maintenance schedules as changing the entire pressure-relief set up could
result in a lot of spillage at the tank farm.