Tank Inspection,

API 653 Repair, Alteration and

Reconstruction
• Introduction
• This standard covers steel storage tanks built to API 650.
• It provides minimum requirements for maintaining the integrity of tanks after they have been placed in service and
addresses inspection, repair, alteration, relocation, and reconstruction.
• Suitability for Service
• General
• Tank Roof Evaluation
• Tank Shell Evaluation
• Tank Bottom Evaluation
• Tank Foundation Evaluation
• Brittle Fracture Considerations - for cold countries / high thickness plates
• Inspection
• General
• Inspection Frequency Considerations
• Inspections from the Outside of the Tank
• Internal Inspection
• Alternative to Internal Inspection to Determine Bottom Thickness
• Preparatory Work for Internal Inspection
• Inspection Checklists
• Records
• Reports
• Nondestructive Examination (NDE) – RT, MPE, UE, liquid penetrant test, vacuum test, hydro fill test etc.
• Materials
• Plates - IS 2062 Gr. A
• Welding Consumables – up to 12 mm E6013 above 12 mm E7018.
• Design Considerations for Reconstructed Tanks
• New Weld Joints – as per current applicable standard
• Existing Weld Joints – as per drawing
• Shell Design – as per API-650
• Wind girders and Shell Stability - as per current applicable standard
• Roofs -
• Seismic Design
• Tank Repair and Alteration
• Removal and Replacement of Shell Plate Material
• The minimum dimension for a replacement shell plate is 12 in. or 12 times the thickness of the
replacement plate, whichever is greater.
• Repair of Tank Bottoms, Fixed Roofs, Floating Roofs, Roof Seals etc.
• Hot Taps
• Dimensional Tolerances –
• Plumbness
• fixed roof - max H/100 or 5 in. The 1/100 criteria, with a maximum of 5 in.
• Internal floating roof – max- H/200.
• Roundness
 • Peaking
• With a horizontal sweep board 36-in. long, peaking shall not exceed 1/2 in. The sweep board shall
be made to the true outside radius of the tank.
• Banding
• With a vertical sweep board 36-in. long, banding shall not exceed 1 in.
• Welding
• Welding Qualification testing
• Examination and Testing
• NDE
• Radiographs
• Hydrostatic Testing
• Leak Tests
• Measured Settlement During Hydrostatic Testing
• Marking and Recordkeeping
• Recordkeeping
• Certification – life expectancy (OISD – rule 129), calibration certification,
tank hydro-fill certificate under Rule 126 of Petroleum Rules 2002
Thank you
 Suitability for Service
The following list of factors for consideration is not all-inclusive for all situations,
nor is it intended to be a substitute for the engineering analysis and judgment
required for each situation:
a) internal corrosion due to the product stored or water bottoms;
b) external corrosion due to environmental exposure;
c) stress levels and allowable stress levels;
d) properties of the stored product such as specific gravity, temperature, and corrosivity;
e) metal design temperatures at the service location of the tank;
f) external roof live load, wind, and seismic loadings;
g) tank foundation, soil, and settlement conditions;
h) chemical analysis and mechanical properties of the materials of construction;
i) distortions of the existing tank;
j) operating conditions such as filling/emptying rates and frequency.
• Tank Roof Evaluation
• Fixed
• Cone
• Dome
• Umbrella
• Geodesic
• External Floating
• Pan type
• Pontoon
• Single deck
• Double deck
• Internal floating
• Tank Shell Evaluation

• Tank Bottom Evaluation – AET, LFUT etc.

• Tank Foundation Evaluation – settlement readings
• Brittle Fracture Considerations – for cold countries
 Inspection
• General
• Inspection Frequency Considerations
• the nature of the product stored
• the results of visual maintenance checks
• corrosion allowances and corrosion rates
• corrosion prevention systems
• conditions at previous inspections
• change in operating mode (e.g. frequency of fill cycling, frequent grounding of floating roof support legs)
• changes in service (including changes in water bottoms)
• Inspections from the Outside of the Tank
• Routine In-service Inspections - done by owner/operator personnel - not exceed one month
• This routine in-service inspection shall include a visual inspection of the tank’s exterior surfaces. Evidence of leaks; shell distortions;
signs of settlement; corrosion; and condition of the foundation, paint coatings, insulation systems, and appurtenances should be
documented for follow-up action by an authorized inspector
• External inspection – done by authorized inspector - must be conducted at least every five years or RCA/4N years
• Internal Inspection

• Alternative to Internal Inspection to Determine Bottom Thickness

• Records - construction records, inspection history, and repair/alteration history.
• Reports - nameplate information, drawings, specifications, construction completion
report, and any results of material tests and analyses
• Nondestructive Examination (NDE)
• Radiography
• is required for shell butt-welds, annular-plate butt-welds and flush-type connections with butt-welds.
• is not required for roof-plate welds, bottom-plate welds, welds joining the top angle to either the roof or
shell, welds joining the shell plate to the bottom plate, welds in nozzle and manway necks made from
plate, or appurtenance welds to the tank.
• Materials
• General
• New Materials
• Original Materials for Reconstructed Tanks
• Welding Consumables
• Design Considerations for Reconstructed Tanks
• General
• New Weld Joints
• Existing Weld Joints
• Shell Design
• Shell Penetrations
• Wind girders and Shell Stability
• Roofs
• Seismic Design
• Tank Repair and Alteration
• Removal and Replacement of Shell Plate Material
Hot Taps
OISD-129
Calibration certificate
Rule 126