Providing Extended Life to Crude Oil Tank Linings

Back in 2004, Sherwin-Williams worked with a customer to apply Phenicon® HS Flake Filled Epoxy primer and Phenicon® HS Epoxy finish to one of its aboveground storage tanks for crude oil. In 2020, a team of technical experts from Sherwin-Williams joined the customer on its routine, once-a-decade inspection of the lining. Together, they discovered that the product is performing within the original application range. The typical life expectancy for such a lining is 20 years, based on standards outlined by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

Background
Large developments have been made in the way crude oil is stored since the 1980s, when storage tanks were conceived without tank linings. With the old design, bacteria would collect on the floor of the tank, eating through the asset and causing the tank to leak. When Sherwin-Williams tank linings are specified and applied correctly, the linings will offer an effective barrier between the substrate and stored commodity and be unaffected by microbiological influenced corrosion.

Why Use Sherwin-Williams
One unique benefit to working with Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine is that we have the ability to transport and distribute products to wherever the customer is. With crude oil tanks, this can become difficult for some suppliers because they are in harder-to-reach locations. Instead of worrying about warehousing storage, the customer can rely on us to provide the exact product they need, when they need it. In addition, we don’t view the point-of-sale as the end of the transaction, but rather the beginning. Our Technical Representatives are AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance)-trained. This means 250+ technically knowledgeable employees are actively available in the field to support our customers at a moment’s notice.

“It’s the service in the field that makes us stick out,” said Brian Buchta, Key Account Manager for Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine. The difference between the competitor and Sherwin-Williams is that we stick with the customer as a resource, communicate, inspect the product on a regular basis and consult subject matter experts and labs to offer testing reports.”

When a tank comes due for inspection at this customer, Sherwin-Williams is on hand to support the analysis. The customer relies on our recommendations, expertise and lab support to prolong the life of its tank linings. Our Technical Representatives work hand in hand with the customer to evaluate the current state of the lining and document the condition.

“We don’t just sell the coating,” said Michael Harrison, Global Product Director of Linings at Sherwin-Williams. “Our representatives are available to go in and evaluate the coating instead of selling it once and cutting communication after the sale. It’s important to us to stay in contact and become a trustworthy resource for the customer outside of selling the product.”

During the latest inspection with this customer, we found the dry film thickness of the floor plates, weld seams and 3 feet of shell wall were within the original application and performing as expected.

Because of this unique insight into our customer’s experience with our linings, we are systematically gathering proof and documenting that our linings can last an extra 10 years beyond the API’s expectation. Increased durability and life cycle is a huge time and money saver for our customer.

Taking even one API 650 Aboveground Storage Tank out of service for inspection can be costly. If a seal needs to be repaired or a recoat is needed, weeks are added to that timeline. A high-quality lining that is kept in good shape can save money in the long run. With a low-quality lining, a complete recoat may be needed after inspection, which could put the tank out of service for weeks and result in a substantive loss.

Because of the customer’s trust in our full-service sales and technical support, we have been its sole provider of coatings since 2017.

Our Lining Products: Phenicon® HS, Nova-Plate® 360 and
Dura-Plate® UHS
Phenicon HS is a two-component epoxy novolac phenolic coating. As an internal lining, it is intended for tanks used to hold crude oil and most refined petroleum products. Nova-Plate 360 is an easy-to-use, API-compliant, flake-reinforced, PTFE-filled, novolac-based tank lining.

Nova-Plate 360 tank lining helps save time and money through reduced downtime for application and unparalleled protection to the interior of steel tanks and vessels.

Dura-Plate UHS is an edge retentive lining with 30+ years of proven track record offering resistance to a wide spectrum of crude and refined hydrocarbons (also meeting the high purity requirements of EI Standard 1541 for aviation fuel storage and transport).

Our coatings rise above competing products by offering longevity, flexibility, easy application, low-cost production and a great service life. Combined with our trusted technical service and expertise, you can count on Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings for all your lining needs.

THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS DIFFERENCE
Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to our customers around the globe. Our broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems that excel at combating corrosion helps customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. We serve a wide array of markets across our rapidly growing international distribution footprint, including Energy, Water & Wastewater, Bridge & Highway, Steel Fabrication, Flooring, Manufacturing & Processing, Fire Protection, Marine, Rail and Power.