This document provides useful information and recommended practices for the maintenance and inspection of atmospheric and low-pressure storage tanks. Although these maintenance and inspection guidelines may apply to other types of tanks, these practices are intended primarily for existing tanks that were designed and constructed to API aboveground storage tank standards or specifications, as referenced in 2.2.
This document addresses the following:
a) descriptions and illustrations of the various types of storage tanks;b) new tank construction standards;c) maintenance practices;d) reasons for inspection;e) causes of deterioration;f) frequency of inspection;g) methods of inspection;h) inspection of repairs;i) preparation of records and reports;j) safe and efficient operation;k) leak prevention methods.
This recommended practice is intended to supplement API 653 (applicable for all tanks) and API 12R1 (as applicable for the API 12 series tanks storing production liquids) that provide minimum requirements for maintaining the integrity of storage tanks after they have been placed in service.
