Operations, maintenance and integrity testing of the industry’s storage tanks have experienced considerable advancements in the span of Earl Crochet’s career.
“It’s obvious that operational maintenance and integrity have come a long way,” said Crochet, who has more than 32 years of industry experience. “I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in API committees for 26-plus years, and tanks are a lot better than they used to be.”
Speaking during a recent webinar, Crochet said technological developments have allowed operators to make better and more prudent decisions regarding their tanks.
Crochet, who is known among his peers as “The Tank Whisperer,” observed that these advancements have caused cost reductions in various tools and processes. The industry can use these reductions to increase safety and promote environmental responsibility, which also result in more efficient operations and processes.
Addressing the use of ultrasonic technology in determining tank leakage as well as the condition of the floor while the tank is in service, Crochet referred to case study tests API conducted 20 years ago.
“API found that you could determine leaks in tanks while in service,” Crochet said. “The physics worked, but the technology just hadn’t caught up yet.”
According to Crochet, more recent advancements in “computing power” are bringing the industry “very close” to conducting more extensive leakage testing.
“Obviously, as a tank operator, it would be really nice to know when these [leaks] first develop and be able to handle them before you find out some other way,” Crochet said.
To determine the condition of the tank floor while it’s in service, Crochet noted it’s currently possible to insert a robot into the tank to obtain some of this information.
“Hopefully, down the road, we will be able to collect the data from the outside of the tank without taking the tank out of service. We should be able to confirm that a tank is in good shape,” he said. “But if it’s not, then you could be ready, proactively, to take the tank out a little sooner than you planned. If the quality of the data is sufficient, you could even have your repair scope ready and the materials standing by in the tank to take it out, which would help the operators and contractors.”
Drones and robotics
Crochet turned his attention to the capability of drones and robotics performing visual seal inspections on tanks.
“There are a number of different ways drones can come in and seal inspections,” he said. “Obviously, there are static issues, and people are working on addressing those issues in a couple different ways.
“The problem with the drone is the static that’s created. There are a couple of solutions I’m aware of that haven’t gotten traction from a physics standpoint.”
Crochet said he knows of “at least one company” working on this static challenge.
“They use the computer programming of a drone to allow it to fly into walls, floors and ceilings. By coupling a light detection and ranging detector on the drone, if the owner or operator was so inclined, you could make sure the drone doesn’t get anywhere near an area that would potentially have a flammable or combustible atmosphere,” he said.
Robotics can be implemented to perform the visual seal inspection function in a similar manner to drones, Crochet explained.
“Anytime you can send a robot or a machine in to do the work and keep people out of harm’s way, obviously that’s better all around,” he said.
Crochet concluded by saying he believes “in [his] heart” that further advancements will continue to improve the safety, environmental compliance and operational effectiveness of tanks for operators.
