The Alberta Energy Regulator or AER determines the requirements for storing the materials, including any waste, produced or used by the petroleum industry. Directive 055 – Storage Requirements for the Upstream Petroleum Industry contains these stipulations. It also includes the technical conditions to help prevent groundwater, soil, and surface water contamination when storing fluids produced from wells. In addition to this, it also specifies the storage requirements for chemical liquids that are typically used in the production of oil and gas.
AER’s Directive 055 Requirements
As per the AER, any storage requirements and standards for the upstream petroleum industry are based on the following:
- The type of material or fluid stored
- The volume of the liquids
- The environmental concerns of the site
- The storage duration of the materials
- The quality, variety, and structural integrity of the containment tanks
According to the Directive:
- Any aboveground storage tanks having a volume of 5 m3 or more must have secondary containment that consists of a liner system and a dike. Alternatively, double-walled tanks instead of a liner and dike system are acceptable.
- Small aboveground storage tanks such as methanol and chemical tanks that have volumes between 1 m3 and 5 m3 or, when there volume is included with other volumes stored on site exceed the total volume of 5 m3 per site must be double-walled or have secondary containment.
- The 5 m3 threshold is the total volume stored per site, including any fluids produced and the chemical storage tanks.
Thus, double-wall production devices are typically used when the total volume stored on the site is 31 m3 or around 200 barrels. Gas well sites often use double-wall tanks while oil batteries usually use liner and dike systems for secondary containment.
Safety Measures for Environmental Protection
Any fluids or materials used or generated by the upstream petroleum industry that may adversely impact the environment should be contained and stored with regards to the following requirements:
- The storage site should be at a location that reduces any chances of damage to the surrounding environment.
- There should be a proper way of storing the materials to prevent uncontrolled fumes, fire hazards, or explosions.
- There should be proper operating systems, maintenance procedures, and inspection programs in place to help maintain the structural integrity of the containment tanks and other equipment such as piping, valves, pumps, or fittings.
- Incompatible or volatile materials should be stored separately to prevent contact.
We Have the Best Oil Production Tanks and Separator Packages
Aspire Energy Resources Inc. has over 25 years of experience in serving the energy industry. We pay special attention to the requirements of double-wall tanks because we mainly deal with the fabrication and repair of the combination units consisting of a separator, water tanks, and chemical tanks.
We ensure that all of the separator-tank combination units sold, leased, or rented by us meet or exceed the requirements of Directive 055.
For more information about our products and services, give us a call at 403-314-5422 or 1-800-993-9958. You could also request a quote by filling out our online form.
