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Welding on Fuel Forecourts
by Steve King MEI, MAPEA, (Director - King Tanktechnic Limited)
King Tanktechnic Limited was asked to take on the specialty of welding on a fuel forecourt. As a general rule alarm bells would start ringing as fuel, vapours and sparks from welding inevitably carries with it an obvious risk of explosion. However we do not shy away from a challenge at Kingtank and considered this an opportunity to show how versatile our technicians are.
We have experience of welding in several different projects on fuel installations including the installation of retrofit baffle plates to underground fuel storage tanks (see other article).
This site was a large supermarket site, with multiple underground storage tanks (USTs). The proprietor had commissioned Kingtank to retrofit Atlas System make-up plates (supplied & designed by D. Berry & Co.) to their USTs to remove the need for perishable gaskets in inaccessible areas and to remove the risk of water ingress between the tank neck and the Atlas system make up plate.
Traditionally perishable rubber based gaskets were the only way of sealing the joint at the tank lid, not any more. We have now safely and successfully fitted & welded these plates, without the need for perishable gaskets, to fourteen tanks on two different sites.
How did we do it?
Health & safety standards were adhered to. London Fire Petroleum Officers were kept in the loop of the production of safe working procedures. The tanks to be worked on were made inaccessible to the general public and supermarket staff.
To ensure that all foreseeable risks were eliminated, our technicians fully cleaned (by man entry) & degassed each of the tanks ensuring all fuel and vapours were removed prior to the retro fit of the plates. The plates were then positioned and welded by our skilled technicians.
Each vessel was pressure tested and proved tight, ready for the pipe fitters to install new pipe work, before returning the underground storage tanks (USTs) to the proprietor.
Steve King