Tank Talk - Alaska's Bulk Fuel Podcast

Bonus Episode! The Tank Toolbox

• Integrity Environmental • Season 2 • Episode 13

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Managing a bulk fuel storage facility can be complex, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. In this bonus episode of Tank Talk, Bulk Fuel Storage Expert Shannon Oelkers and Producer Haley Hall explore the top free resources available to tank farm managers to help streamline operations, improve safety, and ensure compliance. From instructional videos and detailed tank anatomy diagrams to spill response preparation guides and online training courses, we’re highlighting tools that can make your job easier and more efficient—all without spending a dime. 

Whether you’re a seasoned terminal manager or new to the world of bulk fuel storage, this episode equips you with actionable knowledge and resources to help you stay on top of your responsibilities. Tune in and discover how to leverage these free tools to make informed decisions, train your team, and safeguard your facility. Merry Christmas from our Integrity Environmental team! 

 

Tank Talk Podcast (Integrity Environmental) 

Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) YouTube Channel  

Morrison Brothers Tank Anatomy (diagrams that identify all the parts of a tank) 

Tank Strapping Charts (Liquid Level Calculation) 

Steel Tank Institute Free Resources 

 

State of Alaska Star Manual (Spill Tactics) 

Federal Emergency Management Administration (Incident Command System) 

    Support the show

    intro/outro created with GarageBand

    Haley Hall:

    Thank you for joining us. You're listening to Tank Talk with Integrity Environmental, where we speak with founder, principal consultant and bulk fuel storage expert Shannon Oelkers, about regulations, safety and useful tips for smooth sailing through the bulk fuel storage industry. Come learn the unique joys of working life in Alaska with industry experts, including our team, vendors we work with and companies we support.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Welcome back to Tank Talk Season 2, the podcast where we explore everything you need to know about bulk fuel storage, from best practices to the latest in technology and everything in between. Today, I am your host. This is Shannon, and Haley, our producer, is joining us.

    Haley Hall:

    Thanks, Shannon. I'm so excited to be here today. Today we've got a really exciting topic for you. We're diving into free resources for bulk fuel storage managers. If you're managing a facility, we know it's not an easy job, and staying on top of regulations, safety measures and maintenance can feel overwhelming. But here's the good news: there are tons of tools out there that can make your job easier, and they won't cost you a thing.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Exactly, Managing a bulk fuel storage facility Haley is balancing a lot of responsibilities. You know there's regulatory compliance, there's safety, there's the environmental impact if you get something wrong, but you don't have to go it alone. Integrity has gathered resources from all over, and today we're going to walk through some of the best of those resources that are free and available to help you stay organized, compliant and efficient.

    Haley Hall:

    Shannon, you started this free podcast with a big goal in mind - would you say? It's about filling those critical knowledge gaps for people working in this industry.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah, absolutely. That's really the core of why I launched this podcast. Every episode we share is focused on insights and practical advice to help you lower the risk of spills and to promote best practices in our industry, and we pull a lot of what we talk about from what we're seeing in the field in real time. We're trying to make sure our listeners can manage their tank farms more effectively.

    Haley Hall:

    And it sounds like it's not just for the folks who are able to access your paid services - right?

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Exactly. Not everyone can bring on our team or access a consultant, and so I wanted to ensure that the resources we provide here stay accessible to everyone who needs them, and, whether they're turning in for the latest on spill prevention or tips on improving tank farm management, we're giving them tools that make a real difference.

    Haley Hall:

    I love that. It's like an open invitation for all tank farm managers and teams to level up their game, regardless of their budget.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    That's the goal. That's the goal, Haley. All right, so let's dive into today's tank talk.

    Haley Hall:

    Let's get right into it. First up, shannon. We all know compliance is a big deal in fuel storage, so let's talk about some free resources that can help fuel storage managers maintain and operate their fuel infrastructure.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah Haley. One of the biggest challenges in fuel storage is staying on top of regular tank maintenance a great free resource. It was developed about 20 years ago, I believe, by the Alaska Energy Authority. They offer a fantastic YouTube channel with a playlist that has 24 instructional videos, and these videos cover everything from changing gaskets to performing water draws, changing filters. They cover sort of all the essential parts of keeping your tanks in top shape. These are completely free. They were, I think, paid for as part of a federal grant or program. We'll include a link to this playlist. If you for some reason can't find that link, though. It's the Alaska Energy Authority YouTube channel, and then you'd want to click through to the tank farm playlist, and then there's a bonus for our power plant operators out there listening. There is also a power plant video playlist with another 20 or 30 videos that are related to the operation and maintenance of power plant infrastructure, which often includes fuel resources, but has other things as well.

    Haley Hall:

    That's such a helpful resource. It's so nice to have a visual guide to walk through the steps. Plus, when you're dealing with multiple tanks and pieces of equipment, sometimes it's hard to remember the exact procedure. Having a step-by-step video can really be a game changer.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    It is, and you know the best part is, the outfits from 2004 are like vintage. They're coming back into style now, so you get a peek into what it was like in the late 90s - so wonderful.

    Haley Hall:

    Shannon, I have to admit sometimes I struggle to know what everything is called on a tank. There's just so much going on.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    You're not alone, Haley. It's a challenge to keep track of all the parts and things that could be on a tank, especially if you're newer to bulk fuels. We joke that tanks are a very simple machine, but they could have thousands of different kinds of appurtenances, which are things that are attached to the tank. The tank itself is typically pretty simple it's a cylinder but, like I said, thousands of things can be attached to it. So one free resource that we have found very helpful is the Morrison Brothers Company, which creates liquid level gauges and overfill prevention valves. They provide this really cool free resource that includes detailed tank anatomy diagrams, and these diagrams show you exactly what every single part of the tank is called and where it fits into an overall system, and we use it internally at Integrity as part of our training for all of our staff. But I think it's a great resource for anybody who's new to fuels. Has some new employees that are new to fuels. It could be training. It can also be reference.

    Haley Hall:

    That's awesome. So, whether you're looking to train new employees or just need a quick reference guide, these diagrams can save a lot of time and frustration.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah, and they're one page printables. You can literally tack them up on the wall. What I like is they have a couple different tank types. They include single walls and double walls. They talk about remote fill systems and inline fill systems. So no matter what kind of tank farm you're managing, you can kind of find the parts and understand how everything works together just from these couple of diagrams that the Morrison Brothers Group provides.

    Haley Hall:

    Amazing. So now that we can figure out what everything is called, how do you accurately tell how much fuel is inside

    Haley Hall:

    the tank? That's a crucial piece of this puzzle, right?

    Shannon Oelkers:

    It is! And one thing that we find over and over again in rural Alaska is that if a tank is older, the original strapping chart has been lost over time. Somebody put it in a filing cabinet. That filing cabinet got archived, or the person who had it left and the strapping chart was on their computer or in their email. So, understanding liquid levels in a tank and having an accurate strapping chart for horizontal tanks and this does not apply to vertical so if you're listening to this and you have a larger tank farm, Put your fingers in your ears. This doesn't apply to you with API tanks, but for STI tanks the horizontals you do need accurate tank volume data and there are free online resources that can help you with this too. There's companies like Ace Tank and Greer Tank, the two biggest tank manufacturers. They diameter, put in length, and it'll tell you within an eighth of an inch, essentially how much volume you have, based on your liquid level determination.

    Haley Hall:

    Wow. So all you need to do is endpoint the type of tank you're working with and it calculates the liquid level for you.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yep, At every single eighth of an inch across your entire. Most tanks top out at 12 foot in diameter, but yes, it'll tell you all the way up and you can actually have it put in a 10% high level mark as well. But just as a heads up, I want to make sure, if you're going online and using these ACE tank or Greer tank calculators, just make sure you're choosing the right calculator for your tank type. Double wall tanks will have different measurements because you know the secondary tank is longer than the primary tank. So you do need to make sure you understand that you have a double or single wall tank or a rectangular oval tank and what that means, and then make sure you've got the correct one selected before you input your diameter and your length.

    Haley Hall:

    That makes sense. All tanks have ongoing inspection requirements too, and keeping up with those inspections is crucial. So are there any free resources to help a terminal manager perform better tank inspections or help them train their staff?

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Oh, you know it, Haley! My favorite, the Steel Tank Institute. I think I've referenced them on every single podcast we've done. STI offers free inspection checklists that you can download. They are for monthly and annual inspections. They're a great overall review of the things you need to be paying attention to on a tank. This is a fantastic tool to ensure that you're staying compliant. It meets the requirements of your SPCC plan typically. It also gives you a heads up. It allows you to catch issues before they become major problems. The STI website also provides access to free webinars, including one that focuses on how to keep water out of your storage system, which is something that every fuel storage manager should be aware of.

    Haley Hall:

    Yeah, keeping water out of the tanks is such a critical piece of the puzzle. Water can cause corrosion, contamination and even fuel quality issues. It's really great to know that SDI has resources that specifically address this.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah, it's really great. And don't forget, they have other free resources for training your team, so you're not just checking boxes. They also have some low-cost webinars that might be useful to your team as well, including a more in-depth anatomy of a tank and going over all the things on a tank and what they are and what they do. But those cost and this is a free podcast, so I just wanted to put that out there, though that for a small amount of money, they have additional resources available to you.

    Haley Hall:

    Awesome. Well, what about spill response preparation? There has to be a free resource for this, too, right? I mean, we never want to think about spills, but being prepared is essential.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    You bet! There are several free resources that can help with spill response training. Our firm likes to recommend starting with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's STAR manual page. We'll include that link. Star stands for Spill Tactics and Response Manual. It's a detailed resource for spill response exercises. It covers everything from oil recovery to exclusion booming and it's a must resource for spill response exercises. It covers everything from oil recovery to exclusion booming and it's a must-have for any facility that handles fuel in bulk.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    On that same STAR manual page there are three videos and I think everybody who is responsible for responding to a fuel spill on water should watch them. The first video is sort of talking about the safety protocols you need to follow when laying out boom. The second one is how to set boom and response equipment up in the water, including anchoring boom, correctly. And then the last video talks about some of the tactics and strategy you would use specifically related to booming. These are great videos. They show people like actually putting boom, actually placing anchors, and in one of the videos I'm in it you can see the back of my head. True story!

    Haley Hall:

    That's a great resource, but what about training for the people actually involved in the response?

    Shannon Oelkers:

    That's a good point, Haley, in that you know, in any spill response there's two different kinds of spill responders. There's people who are physically out in the field and they're literally responding they're putting boom out, they're soaking up fuel, they're doing all these things and then there's people that are managing the spill response and that management can be just as complex and sometimes even harder than boots on the ground because you're juggling so many things. So let's say you're the tank farm manager and you're going to be the on-scene coordinator for the first few hours of a spill. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, well known as FEMA, offers two really great online courses for free. The first one is the IS-100C or ICS-100, depending on how you want to slice it which is an introduction to the incident command system. I think everybody who is going to respond to a spill should watch this. It's like an hour in length and it talks about the language of incident command. It talks about tactics, it talks about situation reports and it's a shared language, and when you get to a spill it really helps to understand what other people are talking about.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    The second video that FEMA offers for free is ICS 200, which is basic incident command for initial response, and if you're at the tank farm manager level, you should be watching this video annually as a refresher.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    It's a little longer I think it's closer to two hours but it dives into how incident command systems apply in an actual spill scenario. And, same thing, it's reminding you of what things are called, the order that things happen in, and for a lot of people in the bulk fuel industry that emergency management language is a little unfamiliar. They're not firemen full time and so they don't have that language in their toolbox, and so these two videos can really help a new employee understand what all the things are. They can also help an experienced employee refresh every year, and they're free right, so use them.

    Haley Hall:

    Amazing!

    Shannon Oelkers:

    So Haley- on top of those FEMA resources, I wanted to talk just a little bit about two other videos for anyone responsible for oil spill response and spill drills at a larger level. If you're in charge of coordinating a regional spill drill or you have a significant size facility, the US Department of Transportation and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the DOT and PHMSA have put together two excellent training videos to guide us, and they're free.

    Haley Hall:

    That's right. The first video is titled Overview of Oil Spill Exercise and Response. This video provides a great look at how different agencies come together during an oil spill. It goes into detail on the various types of drills and the objectives of the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program, or the NPREP, and you can check out the full video in our notes as well.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah, and that's the one I think most terminal managers should watch at least once. It's a really good overview of all the different federal agencies. And the alphabet soup Again. If you need to learn why NOAA might show up to your spill response, this video can help you understand that.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    The Anatomy of an Oil Spill Response Exercise and this one it's a little longer. I think the first one is maybe 15 minutes and this one's 25. It breaks down the roles and planning processes involved in complex, large-scale drills. So if you're leading or working in a team to lead or participating in these exercises, I think it's a good review or introduction to understand how different components and coordination of all these efforts come together. Is this a video that I think everyone at your facility should watch? No, probably not. It's probably best for tank farm managers. But this is free resources for tank farm managers and if you've got responsibilities for a larger scale spill drill, I think you should take advantage of this free resource. It's not overly long and it's a really good way to tame that alphabet soup feeling at the beginning of any kind of drill.

    Haley Hall:

    Both of these videos are valuable resources to help ensure you're fully prepared when it comes to spill response and drills. The more we know, the better we can respond in a way that minimizes environmental impact and maximizes safety.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yep fully agree.

    Haley Hall:

    It's just really great to know that there are free, high quality resources like this available. These courses can help ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to time to respond to an emergency.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah, definitely, being prepared for spills is critical, and these resources will give you the tools and knowledge to respond effectively and efficiently, hopefully minimizing environmental impacts and reducing your risk of spills right now.

    Haley Hall:

    Well, that wraps up today's episode of Tank Talk. We hope you found these free resources helpful as you work to manage your bulk fuel storage facility safely and efficiently.

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Yeah, thank you everyone for listening! And be sure to check out the links we've mentioned in today's episode. Also don't forget to subscribe to Tank Talk on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, stay safe and keep your tanks in tip-top shape.

    Haley Hall:

    See you next time!

    Shannon Oelkers:

    Hi there, this is Shannon Oelkers and, as the owner of Integrity Environmental, I wanted to take a minute here at the end of the podcast to make sure that you knew the following this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or regulatory advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. This podcast is not intended to replace professional regulatory or legal advice, and the views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host that would be me or Integrity Environmental. Thank you very much for listening, and if you do need professional regulatory advice, we'd be happy to help you as part of our consulting services.

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