50 tank test milestone reached in 5 years by NCS team

As a part of our 5-year celebration everyone at NCS Fluid Handling Systems would also like to share a significant recent milestone that the team at NCS Fluid Handling Systems has recently achieved, NCS is excited to have recently completed our 50th API tank hydrotest and are equally excited to have worked with our long-time client “Elite Integrity Services” on this project and are pleased to share this milestone with them. The team at Elite Integrity Services worked with NCS to perform the entire hydrotest completely from the arrangement of the temporary diversion license, crossing agreements with landowners and jurisdictions, API hydrotesting, foundation survey and complete data turnover package. This British Columbia based test went off without a hitch, with the added benefit being on time, under budget and no safety issues.

You do not get to reach these milestones alone and having tested tanks across Canada now with many other constructors such as TIW, HCBI and Matrix the team at NCS would be remise if we did not acknowledge their contributions to this accomplishment.

Why Hydro-test you ask? Good Question!

A common misunderstanding in the market is the purpose of Hydro-Testing which is also known as Hydrostatic testing for new built API storage tanks. Many believe that the hydro-test on a new built API 650 tank is just a leak tight test while some others believe that testing is important to do for settlement measurement. Both are somewhat correct, but also demonstrate the inconsistency around the full understanding of what is involved in Hydrostatic testing a new built tank and why.

Quite simply put the intent is to perform full functional test of all working components of the tank and its accessories and to perform the initial foundation checks. These checks could include items such as: Checking rolling roof stairways for full range of operation and self leveling functional test, floating roof range of operation, etc.… In summary, Hydro testing demonstrates a tanks fitness for service by providing an integrity test, minimizing the risk of catastrophic failure by using test conditions that replicates operational conditions using test medium (water) with a specific gravity greater than the designed for cargo. Therefore, this hydrostatic test subjects the tank to a harsher condition than the tank would see during normal operation. Additionally, other testing steps may also be added to a hydrostatic test situation for items such as, uplift test of anchor bolts and chairs as well when tanks are designed for elevated internal pressures (lower than those in API- 620) or in situations where a tank is designed to operate in a seismic zone, tests for uplift can be confirmed.