bulk fuel tank farm conditions in rural alaska€¦ · bulk fuel tank farm conditions in rural...

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Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Conditions in Rural Alaska

David Lockard P.E., Lead EngineerAlaska Energy Authority

Rural Energy Conference, FairbanksApril 26th, 2016

Alaska Energy Authority Mission:

“To Reduce the Cost of Energy in Alaska”

AEA is an independent and public corporation of the State of Alaska

Created by the Alaska Legislature in 1976

44.83.070: “ The purpose of the Authority is to promote, develop, and advance the general prosperity and economic welfare of the people of the state by providing a means of financing and operating power projects and facilities that recover and use waste energy and by carrying out the powers and duties assigned to it under AS 42.45.”

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History of Bulk Fuel Upgrades in Rural Alaska

2015 Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Assessment Report

Photos and deficiency lists from seven facilities (“Name that code violation!”)

Assessment scoring sheet, scores, and results

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Presentation Outline

Alaska Bulk Fuel Upgrade History Many of the earliest bulk fuel facilities in rural Alaska were built for the Bureau of Indian Affairs schools starting around 1920

First statewide bulk fuel assessment done around 1990

Through the 1990’s AEA did low‐budget bulk fuel repair projects.

Second statewide assessment was done in 1998 by AEA and included 170 communities

Since 2000, with Denali Commission and other funding: AEA has completed 78 bulk fuel upgrades AVEC has completed 29 bulk fuel upgrades

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2015 Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Assessment Report

Requested and Funded by the Denali Commission

Performed by AK Energy Authority

Assessment work was contracted to three engineering firms: CRW Engineering Group LLC ERM Alaska Inc. Great Northern Engineering LLC

Assessments Performed in 57 Communities in 2015

242 Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Facilities Assessed

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• History of flooding• Inadequate containment• Insufficient foundation• Missing pressure relief• Missing emergency vents• No overfill protection• No check valve at fill point• Improper valve material• Active leaks • Inadequate pipe supports• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Insufficient regulatory

signs• Regulatory plans not

available• No locks on closed tank

issue valves• Spill response equipment

not available

Tanks > 90 years old!Recommendation: Replace facility

History of flooding Threatened by coastal erosion

No secondary containment

No tank foundations Improper emergency venting

Excessive tank corrosion No overfill protection Missing pressure relief Active leaks No evidence of grounding Inadequate fence Insufficient egress Insufficient regulatory signs

Regulatory plans not available

Recommendation: Replace facility

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• History of flooding• Threatened by coastal

erosion• Inadequate secondary

containment• Missing emergency

venting• Excessive corrosion• Improper valve material• Active leaks• Inadequate pipe supports• Improper wiring• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Inadequate separation

from buildings• No locks on closed tank

issue valves


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• History of flooding• Threatened by coastal

erosion• Inadequate secondary

containment• Missing emergency

venting• Excessive corrosion• Improper valve material• Active leaks• Inadequate pipe supports• Improper wiring• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Inadequate separation

from buildings• No locks on closed tank

issue valves


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• Tank farm within 100’ of a well• Inadequate secondary containment• Failing tank foundations• Missing emergency venting• No check valve at fill point• Missing pressure relief• Improper valve material• Active leaks• Damaged or stressed flex connectors• Inadequate pipe supports• Improper wiring• No evidence of grounding• Insufficient egress• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Regulatory plans not available• Spill response equipment not available


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• Tank farm within 100’ of a well• Inadequate secondary containment• Failing tank foundations• Missing emergency venting• No check valve at fill point• Missing pressure relief• Improper valve material• Active leaks• Damaged or stressed flex connectors• Inadequate pipe supports• Improper wiring• No evidence of grounding• Insufficient egress• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Regulatory plans not available• Spill response equipment not available


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• Inadequate secondary containment

• Insufficient or failing tank foundations

• Missing emergency venting

• Improper valve material

• Active leaks• Improper wiring• No evidence of

grounding• Insufficient egress• Missing regulatory

signs• Missing fire

extinguishers• Regulatory plans

unavailable


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• Insufficient or failing tank foundations

• Missing emergency venting

• Improper valve material

• Active leaks• Improper wiring• No evidence of

grounding• Insufficient egress• Missing regulatory

signs• Missing fire

extinguishers• Regulatory plans

unavailable


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• No secondary containment• Insufficient tank

foundations• Missing normal venting• Missing emergency venting• No overfill protection• Improper valve material• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Missing regulatory

documents• No spill response equipment• Rubber hose in long‐term

use for fuel transfer


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• No secondary containment• Insufficient tank

foundations• Missing normal venting• Missing emergency venting• No overfill protection• Improper valve material• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Missing regulatory

documents• No spill response

equipment• Rubber hose in long‐term

use for fuel transfer


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• Insufficient tank foundations

• Missing emergency venting• Excessive tank corrosion• Tanks not designed to

current standards• Missing pressure relief• Active leaks• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Missing regulatory

documents• No locks on gates

Recommendation: Repair facility, paint tanks, provide secondary containment, signage, regulatory documents, and fence, replace piping, valves, vents, pumps, etc.

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• Insufficient tank foundations

• Missing emergency venting• Excessive tank corrosion• Tanks not designed to

current standards• Missing pressure relief• Active leaks• No evidence of grounding• No fence• Missing regulatory signs• Missing fire extinguishers• Missing regulatory

documents• No locks on gates

Recommendation: Repair facility, paint tanks, provide secondary containment, signage, regulatory documents, and fence, replace piping, valves, vents, pumps, etc.

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Facility Category Possible Points Awarded Points

Site LocationSite suitable for tank farm 0 points< 100 feet from a public well 10 points< 25 feet from an eroding bank or beach, or history of flooding 10 pointsGasoline tanks < 25 feet from an important building 10 points

30 points max.Secondary Containment*Liquid-tight, lined dike of proper volume and construction, 0 pointsor double wall or self diked tanks*Liquid-tight, lined dike of improper volume or construction 10 points*Fully diked but not liquid-tight (sand bag dike, gravel, torn or missing liner)20 points*Partial or no dike 30 points

30 points maxFoundations*Tanks on stable foundations (steel skids, min. 6” timbers, no cribbing) 0 points*Tanks directly on gravel pad or light timbers 5 points*Tanks directly on tundra or natural soils (no dike or liner, subject to erosion)10 pointsTanks leaning considerably or unstable foundations (seismic hazard) 10 points

20 points max.Tanks*Tanks in fair to good condition (no dents, min. rust, no major repairs needed)0 points*Immediate need of cleaning and painting 10 points*Rusted or dented beyond repair or riveted, bolted or other 30 points

30 points max.

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Piping (choose most likely to leak, i.e., victaulic, threaded or welded, only)*No piping or welded piping above grade 0 points*Welded piping below grade 5 points*Threaded piping above grade 10 points*Threaded piping below grade 20 points*Victaulic piping above grade 30 points*Victaulic piping below grade 40 pointsRubber hose 20 pointsAdditional for active leaks 20 points

80 points max.ElectricalWiring appears appropriate or there is no wiring. 0 pointsExposed wiring, improper grounding, etc. 10 points

10 points max.Life, Health & Safety*Appears code compliant (No extraordinary factors observed) 0 points*Low risk (Minor code violations that could result in personal injury to non-vigilant employees, such as tripping hazards, limited lighting, etc.) 10 points*Medium risk (More severe code violations that increase risk such as lack of security fence, falling hazards, unlocked valves, gravity dispensing, etc.) 20 points*High risk (Situations that pose an immediate threat to safety such as Fire hazards, gas leaks, failing tanks, unstable foundations, etc.) 40 points

40 points max.

Facility Total 240 points max.

Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Assessment Scores

Total # of scores: 242

Maximum Possible: 240

Maximum score: 195

Average score: 61

Median score: 50

Minimum score: 0

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Other Assessment Report Results Consultants recommended replacing 39 facilities

66 facilities environmentally threatened (flooding, riverine or coastal erosion, etc.)

Tank Farm Capacities (gallons) Maximum: 411,800 Average: 39,178 Minimum: 1,275

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bulk fuel tank farm conditions in rural alaska€¦ · bulk fuel tank farm conditions in rural...

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