Maintenance is important in any industry, but for owners of fuel storage tanks it is essential to ensure that safety standards are met, that there is no probability of leaks, which could lead to business interruption and therefore loss of money and time.

Furthermore, if the fuel is contaminated, filters are not changed on time, there is low flow at the pump, or the pump gets blocked due to the diesel bug formed over time, then refuelling vehicles will be difficult. You will probably have to refuel from outside petrol stations, where the price is higher.

Maintenance is important in order to be on time with farming activities, transport of parcels, goods, etc. so it is essential to identify problems early and solve them, so that you don't have to interrupt the activity.

We wrote about smart investments in the article Investing in new equipment reduces future expenses

Preventive maintenance helps you to discover problems early, before they occur.

Corrective maintenance helps you fix parts in time, before they wear out and you have to pay more.

If you've purchased a fuel storage tank without the maintenance package, it may be time to rethink your strategy. If you can't afford these services, that means you'll have to take care of regular inspections yourself.

First of all you need to have a person who will periodically check the condition of the fuel tank and equipment.
When installing the tank on your premises, learn from the installation team how to change the water filters so that you can make the change yourself when they become clogged.


Here's a list of steps you need to follow to inspect a fuel storage tank and its equipment.


Fuel storage tank inspection

  • Are there stains on the ground around the tank or in the retention sump? Any stains should be considered, the cause and source should be determined.

  • Are there signs of corrosion, rust, cracks, cracked paint or holes at welded joints or connection points? Any fault however small can lead to large fuel losses.

  • Is the base foundation on which the fuel tank is mounted in good condition, the position of the tank on the platform is correct?

  • Is there any evidence of contamination of the fuel with water or residues? Signs of contamination are cloudy appearance, sludgy residue. We have written about contamination and how to deal with it in the article Signs that tell you if the fuel in your tank is contaminated . As a conclusion, if there is contamination you have to deal with it to avoid problems and higher costs in the future.

  • Are the vents protected so that water and impurities do not get inside?

  • Is the retention sump clean, free of water, dust, leaves, traces of spilled fuel?

  • Is the information board with the tank contents and correct refuelling methods visible?

  • Do you turn off the pump when you finished refuelling so that it does not run dry?

  • Is the fuel storage tank placed in a secure facility, are the fueling components secured by padlocked protective boxes, do you have a system that allows only authorized users to fuel by card, code, key, app, etc. Without a system to secure access to the pump, a manager can have large losses due to fraud and fuel theft. We have written more on this subject in the article How to prevent fuel theft

 

Testing of the equipment mounted on the storage tank

  • Is the pump working in optimal parameters, is the flow rate good, is there any noise when feeding? If you notice these problems early on, parts are easy and cheap to replace.

  • Is the hose flexible, does it have cracks, leaks? If the hose is stiff, it is not properly rolled on the drum or is hanging on the floor, damage and leaks are just a matter of time.

  • Is the meter calibrated correctly, does it indicate precise fuel consumption? If fuel is only quantified by a meter that cannot be confronted with a management system, a level probe or other methods of checking the tank content, you won't know exactly how much you are consuming, how much is being refuelled, how much fuel you have left.

  • Do you have overfueling equipment, fuel drop warning alarms mounted on your tank? Do they work properly? If you're relying solely on the notes in your notebook or the meter of the company that supplies your tank with fuel, that's not good enough. Over-fuelling leads to fuel loss and extra money spent.

  • If the volume drops below the critical level and you run out of fuel, then operations stop and you lose money, or you turn to other sources such as the nearest petrol station, which leads to extra expenses.

  • If you lose fuel through small cracks on the fuel storage tank, joints, hose, in time these small losses bring extra costs, both to the components fitted on and to the integrity of the tank.

  • Are particle and water filters replaced on time? If these parts are not changed when are full, the flow rate at the pump will drop.

  • Are the valves working properly? If the valves become blocked or show signs of wear, this makes it impossible to shut off the fuel flow in an emergency or to re-open it to allow the tank to be used.

  • Is the equipment clean? A pump that has traces of fuel, the nozzles are dirty, the display blocked is not a good thing for a fuel tank owner.

That been said, we think we've brought up enough reasons why you should personally, periodically check your fuel storage tank and the equipment mounted on it to detect problems early on.

For the spare parts, Eurial service team will help you. You will receive the best advice to be able to use the tank in optimal parameters.


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