Intertek Launches UK Specialist Tank Calibration Service

Intertek, leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide, has launched a hi-tech tank calibration service in the UK offering highly accurate calibration data to customers across Europe, complementing the company’s existing services for the oil and gas industry.

This new service combines years of tank calibration experience with the latest available software to enable Intertek to provide highly accurate tank and sphere calibrations, using the latest laser theodolites and laser scanners. The new system also makes available tank settlement, tilt check and tank shell out-of-roundness surveys. These hi-tech surveys produce highly accurate data which is important to identify the common ‘tank shell out of roundness’ problem which can affect floating roofs, by impeding their vertical motion.

This new offering in the UK complements the Cargo Inspection services, which has been one of Intertek’s core business lines since 1885 as well as the bunker quantity survey services offered by Intertek ShipCare. Intertek's cargo inspectors help clients protect their financial interests during cargo custody transfer, storage, transport and bunkering. This latest service will add to the process in providing accurate and detailed measurement and calibration of storage tanks.

Intertek expert Nigel McKeown explains the importance of the new service: "Tank shell ‘out of roundness’ checks are important to the correct functioning of a floating roof. If a tank has a planar tilt or a settlement problem, then the tank’s centre of gravity may be affected and hence the maximum fill height may have to be reduced."

Nigel added: "A tank wall negative deformation could possibly impede the vertical motion of a floating roof and in an extreme case cause the roof to sink. A positive deformation can create gaps between the roof seal and tank shell wall. Hence it is important to identify as accurately as possible the tank wall deformation with respect to the floating roof, so adjustments may be applied to the roof seal.”

Tank calibrations are conducted to the exacting requirements of the appropriate international standards published by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) or by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Detailed volumetric tables are compiled for each tank and can be formatted according to the client’s requirements. Comprehensive tables can incorporate any standard units of measure for size, volume or both. All Intertek tank calibrators have confined space training and ECITB supervisor safety passport.

David Breach, Business Line leader, Cargo & AA said: "This new hi-tech service complements Intertek’s existing cargo inspection and bunker quantity services by offering specific highly accurate calibration of the storage tanks to our clients, enabling them to have the most accurate data possible.”

Chief Executive UK & Eire Rob van Dorp said: "By working in close partnership with our clients, we are able to respond to their specific demands for increasingly accurate cargo measurements as well as testing.”

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