Robotic tank inspection technology provides a method to assess the condition of the tank floor to meet the internal inspection requirements of API 653 without requiring the removal of the stored hydrocarbon product. The final report for this project provides a basic understanding of the inspection capabilities of in-service inspection technology and its development for aboveground storages tanks over the past 20 years.
The report presents the results of field validation tests that compare the results of in-service inspections versus the results of out-of-service inspections on the same tank. Additionally, economic validations of the methodology are presented for assessing value for in-service and out-of-service inspections, as well as methods to optimize in-service inspections. The report also discusses design elements for the commercially-available robotic and manual in-service systems, and highlights several areas for future development. The Final Report is available on PRIME for PRCI members.