Fiberglass Storage Tank Inspection Procedures Gain Traction in the US

Introduction

After 13 years in the making, the Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics Institute (FRPI) published the first comprehensive fiberglass aboveground storage tank (AST) inspection procedures in the United States in 2018. These procedures were developed into standards that enable AST owners and their inspectors to manage assets more cost-effectively while meeting the objectives of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and State Agency regulations. 

US Federal and State regulations related to the storage of hazardous substances, such as hydrochloric acid (see Figure 1), were enacted decades ago to ensure environmental protection and worker safety. These regulations require ASTs to be inspected following the most recently promulgated Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (RAGAGEP). FRPI inspection procedures are the most recent RAGAGEP per EPA guidance and OSHA interpretation, providing owners and inspectors a means of compliance with laws.

The FRPI inspection procedures were developed to be consistent with the American Petroleum Institute (API) 653 Standard - Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration and Reconstruction [1]. API 653 was introduced in 1991 to help tank owners manage assets and comply with earlier versions of US Federal and State laws. Like API 653, FRPI procedures help owner-operators responsibly manage their assets and optimize operating costs, while mitigating the risks of environmental and safety incidents by improving minimum inspector expertise, inspection consistency, and equipment reliability.

This article highlights common challenges with fiberglass AST inspection that can help owner-operators and other stakeholders stay out of harm’s way. Furthermore, the standardized FRPI inspection procedures are introduced, with follow-up examples of how the use of these standards can improve the effectiveness of fiberglass AST inspections.