INDUSTRY INSIGHTS NEWSLETTER
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Although storage tanks are among the most common assets in refining, petrochemical, and chemical operations, their complexity is easy to underestimate, from seismic compliance requirements to the fundamentals of proper design and specification. This month’s Industry Insights explores storage tanks from two angles: a technical look at Washington State’s new seismic integrity regulations and what they mean for owner-operators of existing aboveground storage tanks, and a foundational guide for early-career engineers on the core concepts, common challenges, and cross-disciplinary considerations that make tanks a critical area of expertise. Taken together, these articles reflect how storage tank knowledge matters at every stage of an engineering career, from foundational design principles to navigating the latest regulatory requirements.
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Featured Articles
Navigating New Seismic Rules for Storage Tanks: A Technical Guide to Washington’s WAC 173-180
Washington State’s WAC 173-180 regulation is setting a new bar for seismic integrity of existing aboveground storage tanks, with a compliance deadline of July 2033 and analysis requirements that treat existing assets as new builds. This article breaks down what owner-operators need to know technically and makes the case for acting well before the deadline.
Engineering 101: Tanks and Storage Equipment – Foundations for Every Engineer
Tanks are among the first engineered systems early-career engineers encounter, but their apparent simplicity can be misleading given the range of design, materials, and cross-disciplinary considerations involved. This article offers a practical foundation for new engineers on how tanks work, why they matter, and the common pitfalls to watch for across industries.
Recently Published in the Industry Insights Newsletter
Evolution of Gas Dispersion Modeling
As hazardous release scenarios grow more complex, outdated Gaussian plume models are leaving facilities either over-exposed to risk or over-invested in unnecessary safety infrastructure. This article explores how advanced gas dispersion modeling with rigorous thermodynamic calculations and 3D consequence contours delivers right-sized process safety decisions.
Asset Lifecycle Management: An Introduction to Process Safety
The most serious incidents in industrial history were not the result of a single equipment failure — they were the product of systemic breakdowns in design, operations, and management. Understanding how process safety works, and where it can fail, is essential knowledge for any engineer working with complex systems or hazardous materials.
Two-Phase Flow Piping Vibration
Two-phase flow creates complex dynamic forces that can lead to catastrophic fatigue failure, yet traditional restraints often clash with high-temperature thermal expansion needs. This article explores how to diagnose flow regimes and use advanced metrics like kurtosis to design effective, thermally safe remediation strategies.
