API 650 Basic Facts

Storage Tank Basic Facts
Storage tanks are an essential element in the production, refining, transportation, and marketing
of petroleum products. API maintains several documents that address the design, fabrication,
operation, inspection, and maintenance of aboveground (ASTs) and underground (STs)
storage tanks.
API storage tank standards are developed b! committees of e"perienced tank designers,
fabricators, o#ners, and operators that bring a #ealth of accumulated kno#ledge from their
respective companies. Although API standards cover man! aspects of AST and ST design and
operation, the! are not all$inclusive. There are several organi%ations that publish standards on
tank design, fabrication, installation, inspection, and repair that ma! be more appropriate in some
instances than API standards Please refer to the follo#ing organi%ations for additional
re&uirements and specifications'
American Societ! of (echanical )ngineers (AS()) * ###.asme.org
American Societ! for Testing and (aterials (AST() * ###.astm.org
American +ater +orks Association (A++A) * ###.a##a.org
,uilding -fficials and .ode Administrators International (,-.A) * ###.bocai.org
/A.) International (.orrosion )ngineers) * ###.nace.org
/ational 0ire Protection Association (/0PA) * ###.nfpa.org
Petroleum )&uipment Institute (P)I) * ###.pei.org
Steel Tank Institute (STI) * ###.steeltank.com
nder#riters 1aboratories (1) * ulstandardsinfonet.ul.com
International 0ire .ode Institute (niform 0ire .ode) * ###.ifci.com

OTHER RESOURCES
,asis of Seismic 2esign Provisions for +elded Steel -il Storage Tanks (3.4 (,)
,! 5. S. +o%niak and +. +. (itchell, Presented at 64rd API (id!ear 5efining, (a! 7, 3879
(To do#nload' 5ight$click on link and select :Save Target As . . .: )
S;S )arth&uake <a%ard s Program
The Independent 1i&uid Terminals Association $ Provides a listing of e&uipment and services
available to the ,ulk 1i&uid Terminals Industr!. It=s e"press purpose is to provide terminal and
tank farm o#ners #ith a &uick and eas! reference for locating valuable and needed services parts
> e&uipment.
.S. )nvironmental Protection Agenc! TA/?S emission estimation soft#are and information.

STORAGE TANK FAQS
Q: Where are storage tanks se! in the "etro#e$ in!str%&
A' Storage tanks are found in most sectors of the petroleum industr!. These
include )"ploration > Production, 5efining, (arketing, and Pipelines.
Q: What are the !i''erent t%"es o' storage tanks&
A' Storage tanks can be divided into t#o basic t!pes' aboveground (AST) and
underground (ST). ASTs are used in production, refining, marketing, and
pipeline operations. STs are t!picall! used in the marketing of gasoline at
retail service stations.
Q: What are the $ost recent e!itions o' A() *+,- *.,- an! *./&
A' API @AB' 3Bth )dition, 0ebruar! ABBAC API @DB' 3Bth )dition, (arch 3889,
including Addenda E3 (ABBB) and EA (ABB3)C API @D4' 4rd )dition 2ecember
ABB3. (ore information on past editions can be found at Past )ditions of
API Tank 2esign Standards 3A. and @DB.
Q: What are the A() stan!ar!s 'or constrction o' ne0 USTs&
A' API does not publish standards for construction ofST=s. See
nder#riters 1aboratories 1D9, 343@, or 376@, and the Steel Tank
Institute=s 0963$83.
Q: What are the A() stan!ar!s 'or constrction o' ne0 ASTs&
A' Spec. 3A,, ,olted Tanks for Storage of Production 1i&uidsC Spec. 3A2,
0ield +elded Tanks for Storage of Production 1i&uidsC Spec. 3A0, Shop
+elded Tanks for Storage of Production 1i&uidsC Spec. 3AP, 0iberglass
5einforced Plastic TanksC API @AB, 2esign and .onstruction of 1arge,
+elded, 1o#$Pressure Storage TanksC API @DB, +elded Steel Tanks for -il
Storage.
Q: What is the !i''erence 1et0een tanks constrcte! to the A() 2+ series s"eci'ications
'or "ro!ction o"erations an! A() *., tanks&
A' Production tanks are usuall! much smaller than API @DB tanks and are often subFect to
different operating conditions.
Q: What si3e tanks are co4ere! 1% A() re'ining- $arketing- an! "i"e#ine
stan!ar!s&
A' ;enerall!, the minimum si%e is 33BB gallons (63@6 liters). API design standards for ASTs
in refining, marketing, and pipeline facilities do not specif! a ma"imum si%e.
Q: What are the A() stan!ar!s 'or the ins"ection an! re"air o' ASTs
crrent#% in5ser4ice&
A' Spec. 3A53, Setting, (aintenance, Inspection, -peration, and 5epair of
Tanks in Production ServiceC API @D4, Tanks Inspection, 5epair, Alteration,
and 5econstruction. Gou also should consider the Steel Tank Institute=s
SPBB3$BB standard for shop fabricated tanks.
Q: 6oes A() certi'% tank $an'actrers&
A' /o.
Q: 6oes A() isse a certi'icate to 4eri'% that a tank has 1een 1i#t to A()
*+, or *.,&
A' /o. The manufacturer is responsible for certif!ing that the tank has been
constructed in accordance #ith API @DB (see API @DB, Section 9.4)
Q: Ho0 !o ) get $% tank certi'ie! 1% A() to Stan!ar! *+, or *.,&
A' API does not certif! tanks built to API @AB and @DB. Gou ma! see older @DB
tanks #ith an API stamp or monogram, ho#ever, the (onogram Program
#as removed from API @DB #ith the release of the si"th edition in 3877.
The (onogram Program does include tanks built to API Specifications 3A,,
3A2, and 3A0 for e"ploration and production operations..
Q: Can A() "ro4i!e assistance or cons#tation on tank !esign or
ins"ection&
A' /o. API does not act as a consultant on specific engineering problems or
on the general application of its standards. API #ill provide an interpretation
of the re&uirements in the standard and #ill address suggested changes
based on ne# data or technolog!. Please refer to API @AB, Appendi" HC API
@DB, Appendi" 2C or API @D4, Appendi" ) for further information in
interpretations.
Q: 6oes A() "ro4i!e na$e"#ates 'or A() *., tanks&
A' /o. The tank manufacturer t!picall! provides the nameplate for a ne# tank
(see API @DB, Section 9.3).
Q: 6oes A() certi'% co$"anies to !o tank re"air&
A' /o. API onl! certifies inspectors to API @D4.
Q: Where can a 'in! an A() *./ certi'ie! ins"ector&
A' A list of companies that emplo! certified inspectors can be found on the API
Inspector .ertification #ebsite.
Q: 6oes A() "1#ish "roce!res on h%!rostatic testing&
A' Although API @DB and @D4 have re&uirements on #hen a h!drostatic test
must be performed, the! do not have detailed procedures on ho# a
h!drostatic test is performed. There is information available in API @DB,
Appendi" S, Section S.6.3B specific to stainless steel tanks. API @AB,
Section 7.39.6 (Section D.39.6 in the ninth edition) does have a procedure
for lo#$pressure storage tanks.
Q: Where can ) 'in! a #ist o' technica# inter"retations&
A' API Publication 9DB is a compilation of interpretations for API standards
@AB, @DB, and @D4 from 3897 through 3887. (ore recent in&uiries can be
found on the API #ebsite.

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