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Oil storage is important for commercial and domestic properties, but it also carries a high responsibility factor. Therefore, you need to know some important things and certain regulations for oil storage on your property for different purposes.
This guide includes domestic oil storage regulations for storing different volumes of fuel and associated regulations with different types of tanks. It also covers commercial oil storage regulations, types of oil, locations, safety maintenance, and important considerations for oil tanks. Moreover, you can also get information on fitting and connections to be used and devices that help to prevent tank overfills.
The following regulations apply if the fuel storage tank is located above ground in your domestic property with a capacity of fewer than 3500 litres:
If you want to store up to 30 litres of oil in your house for use in an aeroplane, boat, or car, you are not required to notify the local PEA. Depending on the volume of oil to be stored, you can use different types of fuel containers. You can store up to 10 litres, 20 litres, and 30 litres of fuel in a plastic jar, metal container, and removable fuel tank, respectively.
If you are going to store fuel from 30 litres to below 275 litres, you are required to inform the local PEA. For this purpose, you need to submit your name and storage facility details in the written form.
If you need to store between 275 and 3500 litres of fuel, you need a specific type of licence and certificate from PEA. The authority will then issue a non-transferable license, which is valid for 3 years.
It is important to ensure that oil is stored safely to avoid potential threats. Therefore, the locations and types of the tanks have been specified by the Environmental protection regulations to minimise the risk of potential leakages. Two different types of tanks can be used for storing oil in residential properties by following the associated regulations:
A single skin tank should have a capacity of less than 2500 litres, and a single dwelling can use it. It cannot be installed within 10m of coastal or freshwater or within 50m of any drinking water source. The tank’s vent pipes must be visible during refilling, and it cannot be installed in areas where regional regulations require bunding.
It is worth remembering that the bund’s capacity must be at least 110% of that of the inner tank. The tank should be impervious to oil and water and made of non-corrosive material. Polyethene tanks and steel tanks should fulfil the OFS T100 Firing Equipment Standard and OFS T200 Firing Equipment Standard, respectively.
If you want to store more than the allowed limit of oil at your commercial property, you must follow some strict regulations for this purpose.
For commercial purposes, you can store these types of oils:
To store oil for commercial purposes, the following tanks are allowed to be used:
The oil tank should be stored below ground or on the floor level and should not be stored above the roof level. It should be installed in a place that can be easily accessed for refilling and maintenance. Its place of storage should also be free of damage due to any sort of impact.
You are required to check your oil tank at least once every two weeks to detect potential issues in their early phases. It would help if you inspected the entire tank to look for signs of corrosion or deterioration along the pipework and the tank. If you notice an abrupt change in the level of stored fuel, there might be a leakage issue.
Moreover, you should run full system maintenance every year before the beginning of the heating season. This helps you ensure the facility’s safe usage throughout the season. Furthermore, you should fill the tank only up to 90% of its total capacity, leaving enough room for thermal expansion.
The tank should be strong enough to fulfil the intended purpose of use and installed in a place where it can be filled easily with convenient maintenance. The tank must have a secondary containment to ensure there is no leakage in case of any failure. It should be kept 10m and 50m away from coastal and fresh water and drinking water sources, respectively. Moreover, OFS T100 and OFS T200 Firing Equipment Standards must be fulfilled if polyethylene and steel tanks are being used for storage purposes, respectively.
When storing oil for domestic or commercial use, you should prioritise safety to avoid potential leakage and other damaging issues. The following are some of the connections and fittings that can be utilised with an oil tank for maintaining safety standards:
These containments prove to be helpful in case of oil leakage from the tank. For commercial oil storage facilities, these types of secondary containments are commonly utilised:
A gauge is needed to help you refill tanks without overfilling or spillages. It is present within the secondary containment and should be adequately supported by fitting a valve that automatically shuts down when not used. The gauge must be made from non-sparking material, such as a dip rod.
For commercial oil tanks, painted steel pipes are used to minimise the risk of corrosion. On the other hand, domestic oil tanks have plastic-coated copper pipes that are flexible enough to be bent easily. It is suggested to install pipework above ground so that it can be easily accessed and leakage can be located conveniently.
This type of connection allows you to fill your tank from somewhere outside the secondary containment. For this purpose, you should utilise a drip tray to catch any leaks and spills.
The pumps must be installed away from the fuel delivery routes and outside any secondary containment unit. It should be installed in the open air for safety and should be locked within a casing to avoid damage when it is not in use.
The delivery pipe must be stored in a safe and secure location and attached to a drip tray. It can also be placed inside the secondary bund to ensure its safety. You must ensure that the valve is closed at the input end before it is used, and an automatic cut-off system can also be fixed with the delivery pipe for efficient performance.
If your fuel storage tank is fitted in a way that it cannot be easily viewed during refilling, you can use certain devices to prevent overfill. These devices work either by cutting off the supply or sending an alert with the help of an alarm or a fixed probe present inside the storage tank.
These devices can be used to prevent overfill:
You should ensure that the fixed couplings and screws are not eroded and there is no debris on them to avoid any harm to the entire storage system.
Valves are one of the most significant safety features of an oil storage tank, as they cut off the supply in case of fire or leakage. They should be installed outside the tank, where it is easily visible during tank filling. They should be automatic and can be closed with the help of remote sensors. Moreover, the taps, valves, or vent pipes attached to the oil tank must be present inside the secondary containment so that there is no risk of pollution due to oil leakage in any case.
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