Storage Tank Inspections
API 653-compliant aboveground storage tank inspections covering floor scanning, corrosion mapping, settlement analysis, and cathodic protection evaluation.
Aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) are critical assets in the oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical, and refining industries. They store hydrocarbons, chemicals, and other hazardous materials under conditions that subject their floors, shells, roofs, and ancillary components to corrosion, settlement, mechanical fatigue, and environmental degradation. A tank that fails — whether through floor leakage, shell collapse, or roof failure — can result in product loss, environmental contamination, regulatory penalties, and serious safety incidents.
Precision MCS (PMCS) provides expert aboveground storage tank inspection services that give tank owners and operators a complete, code-compliant picture of their tank's current condition and its suitability for continued service. Our inspectors combine deep API 653 expertise with practical field experience across a wide range of tank types, sizes, and services.
PMCS storage tank inspections are conducted in accordance with: API Standard 653 (Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration, and Reconstruction), API Standard 650 (Welded Tanks for Oil Storage), API Standard 620 (Design and Construction of Large, Welded, Low-Pressure Storage Tanks), STI SP001 (Standard for Inspection of Aboveground Storage Tanks), applicable EPA regulations including Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) requirements, and state and local environmental regulations governing tank integrity and secondary containment. Our inspection programs are designed to satisfy these requirements comprehensively while generating the documentation your facility needs for regulatory compliance and corporate integrity management.
PMCS inspects all common aboveground tank configurations including: fixed-roof tanks (cone-roof and dome-roof), external floating-roof tanks, internal floating-roof tanks, open-top floating-roof tanks, cone-bottom and flat-bottom tanks, bolted steel tanks, and fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks in certain service applications. Each tank type presents distinct inspection challenges and damage mechanisms, and our inspectors are trained to identify and evaluate each accordingly.
A comprehensive PMCS storage tank inspection addresses the full structure of the tank from foundation to roof. Floor inspections utilize magnetic flux leakage (MFL) scanning and ultrasonic testing to detect corrosion pitting and wall loss across the entire floor plate, even through product residue. Shell inspections include external and internal visual assessment, ultrasonic thickness measurement at defined courses and locations, weld examination, and evaluation of shell-to-floor joints. Roof inspections cover structural integrity, corrosion assessment, floating roof seal condition, pontoon evaluation, and drainage system review. Foundation and settlement assessment evaluates tank settlement patterns, confirms floor geometry, and identifies abnormal differential settlement that could stress the floor or shell. Nozzle and fitting inspection covers all shell and roof penetrations, manways, and associated hardware for corrosion, leakage, and mechanical integrity. Cathodic protection evaluation assesses the condition and effectiveness of existing impressed current or sacrificial anode systems protecting the tank floor from below-grade corrosion.
PMCS performs both out-of-service (internal) tank inspections and in-service tank inspections. Out-of-service inspections allow full internal access for direct examination of floor plates, shell internals, and roof underside, providing the most complete assessment of tank condition. In-service inspections use external NDE techniques and remote methods to assess shell condition, foundation behavior, and external corrosion without requiring a tank outage — valuable for facilities where operational continuity is a priority. Our inspection planning team will work with you to determine the most appropriate inspection approach based on your tank's service history, risk profile, and operational schedule.
Where corrosion, damage, or structural anomalies are identified, PMCS performs engineering evaluations to determine whether the tank remains fit for continued service, what repairs or mitigations are required, and what the projected remaining service life is under current operating conditions. These assessments are conducted in accordance with API 653 and, where warranted, API 579 fitness-for-service methodology. The output is a clear, defensible engineering determination that supports your run-repair-replace decision-making.
Beyond individual inspections, PMCS can support the development and implementation of comprehensive tank integrity management programs (TIMPs) for facilities with multiple tank assets. A well-structured TIMP establishes inspection intervals, defines inspection scopes based on risk, tracks corrosion rates and remaining life across the tank fleet, manages maintenance records and inspection history, and generates regulatory compliance documentation on a systematic basis. PMCS works with your team to design a TIMP that is practical, cost-effective, and fully aligned with API 653 and applicable regulatory requirements.
PMCS delivers complete, well-organized inspection reports for every tank inspection that include: tank identification and service description; inspection scope, methods, and NDE data; floor scan results with corrosion mapping; shell thickness data by course and location; roof and appurtenance findings; settlement measurements and analysis; cathodic protection assessment; fitness-for-service determination; corrective action recommendations with priority classification; and next inspection due dates per API 653. All reports are formatted for use in regulatory submissions, insurance reviews, and corporate asset management systems.
API 570-compliant piping inspection services covering thickness measurement, corrosion assessment, CUI evaluation, and fitness-for-service determinations for process piping systems of all types.
Certified inspections of all flame arrestor types — deflagration, detonation, in-line, and end-of-line — documented to API 2000, NFPA 67, and EN ISO 16852 standards.
