January 30, 2024 • 28 mins
Prepare to be enlightened as we sit down with David Kapla, General Manager at Greer Steel Inc., whose integral role in shaping Alaska's infrastructure is as sturdy as the tanks his company creates. David unravels the intricate journey of tank manufacturing and what goes into crafting a resilient liquid storage solution. This episode is not just a conversation; it's a masterclass in understanding the backbone of Alaska's industrial landscape.
Join us as we unearth the complexities that ensure each container's durability and safety. From double-walled security and the unique features of fireguard tanks to maintenance, David considers critical aspects of the longevity and efficacy of these industrial titans. His insights are a treasure trove for those captivated by the craftsmanship behind the scenes. We tap into David's reservoir of knowledge guided by the hand of UL standards. Join us for this enriching dialogue, where the past meets the present in tank innovation, maintenance, and the unwavering spirit of invention.
Resources:
Greer Steel Inc
UL Solutions
STI/SPFA
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 occur from using 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, which would be me or Integrity Environmental. Thank you very much for listening. We would be happy to provide professional regulatory advice as part of our consulting services if you need professional regulatory advice.
intro/outro created with GarageBand
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Shannon (00:00):
Good morning, and and welcome to Tank Talk.
I'm I'm interviewing DavidKapla from Greer Steel Inc.
They make most of the tanksthat I see for heating oil and
many other uses in Alaska.
are a foundational business forAlaska, and most Alaskans are
very familiar with the Greerlogo.
They've seen it on many tanks,and so, David, welcome.
They are a foundationalbusiness for Alaska that most
Alaskans are very familiar withthe Greer logo They've seen it
on many, many tanks and so,david, welcome.
(00:21):
Could you tell us a little bitabout yourself and about Greer
Steel?
David (00:26):
Sure, so I started with Greer in 1998, in the in the
spring of 1998.
I worked in the Fairbanks shopfor the first part of my career
with the in 2009 and in 20O9moved down here to Lakewood to
take over operations when themanager that was running it at
the time was ready to retire.
Greer was started in 1952 in aone-car garage in downtown
(00:50):
Fairbanks.
In 1956, we built the firstshop in Fairbanks, which still
stands and is still in operationpart-time.
Shannon (00:59):
I've been to that one many times.
David (01:02):
That's over in Hamilton Acres.
Yep, Yep.
In 1972, we expanded sales toAnchorage.
In 1980, we built the shop inAnchorage.
In 1983 is when we built whatpeople know as the Fairbanks
shop, now over at Lakeview.
(01:22):
In 1995, we expanded to Tacomawith a very small shop down in
the Tacoma Tide Flats in 1998.
Shannon (01:35):
So for the first 45 years you were just solely in
Alaska serving Alaskans.
David (01:40):
Wo, ight, .
Well, we saw a need to expanddown in Tacoma, because you
can't reach the west coast ofAlaska or southeast of Alaska
from anywhere within Alaska withour products.
Shannon (01:55):
Yeah, from the barge lines, You've got to originate
in Washington.
David (01:58):
Yeah, exactly, they have to originate at the barge in
Seattle.
So that's why I did that.
In 1998, we moved the Tacomashop to Lakewood, which is where
we are now.
Also in 1998, we built thefirst plastic shop.
Shannon (02:14):
O f y.
I actually used to own a Greerwater tank when I lived in
Fairbanks and I had a dry binto haul all our water in.
David (02:22):
Right, that's when we started building those.
In 2008, we expanded theLakewood shop the first time.
n 2011, we expanded the plasticshop in Fairbanks In 2014,.
we expanded the Lakewood shopagain, adding more production
facility and a new p a paintfacility.
(02:43):
In 2015, we expanded theplastic shop again in Fairbanks
and that's where we are today.
We're still expanding, stilllooking for more market.
I see big things to come.
Shannon (02:58):
And correct me if I'm wrong, but do you own or work
with ACE in Anchorage as well?
David (03:03):
No, it's Anchorage Tank.
Oh, Anchorage Tank.
Okay, correct.
Yeah, we purchase a AnchorageTank.
I'm not sur tha.
I think maybe around 2012 or2014, 2012.
2 timeframe.
Shannon (03:17):
Oh, Yeah Yeah Yeah, it's always fun when we're out
on the site to see the differenttank names, because so many of
them have come and gone.
Greer, of course, is still here, but it's fun to see the I saw
one the other day in Fairbankscalled Superman Tanks and I had
not seen that one before.
A All r right manufacturer names.
I saw one the other day inFairbanks called Superman tanks
and I had not seen that onebefore All right?
David (03:33):
Nope, not heard of that.
You'll see, if you look closeon the ACE tanks a lot of them
you'll see our name on it as weproduce the tanks for them.
Shannon (03:42):
Oh, okay, that makes sense, all right.
Well, Greer has a long historyin Alaska.
You guys are experts at makingtanks, and so I thought I would
bring you on to talk about someof the things you could share
with our listeners about theconstruction and maintenance and
care of tanks.
I think that many of ourlisteners have tanks and they're
(04:04):
responsible for them, andthey're also responsible for
ordering new tanks, and so Ithink this information would be
really helpful to them.
And I wanted to start with theordering of a tank, because our
firm helps our clients ordertanks quite a bit.
Could you give us an idea ofwhat's helpful to know when
you're getting ready to purchasea tank?
What kinds of information doyou need to have ready when you
(04:25):
are going to talk to someonelike Greer and get a tank
ordered?
David (04:28):
Well, sure, I mean at this point I'm assuming we're
not talking about residentialsmall home heating oil tanks,
because that's prettystraightforward.
Shannon (04:38):
Yeah, Heating oil tanks are not our typical client.
We typically work with largerbulk industrial facilities.
So yeah, for this discussionlet's talk about an average bulk
fuel tank for fleet fueling ormaybe aviation fueling,
something like that.
David (04:52):
Sure, I mean, those are two good points right there.
The first thing we need to knowis what's going in this tank.
Is it going to be diesel?
Is it going to be gasolineaviation fuel?
What is it?
What's going in there?
That helps us to determine notonly the fitting layout of the
tank but the coatings for thetank.
Shannon (05:10):
So are there different standards for different services
.
David (05:13):
Sure, yeah, yeah, there's different equipment that gets
used.
The different equipmentrequires different openings.
A lot of that has to do withthe installing contractor.
You know what their preferencesare as well.
So, but we of course need toknow how big.
You know.
What's the size of this tank?
How many gallons are we talkingabout?
Then?
What sort of technology are wetalking about?
Are we looking at a single wall, a double wall, a fire guard?
(05:36):
Is it vertical, cylindrical,rectangular, you know,
horizontal?
There are a lot of differentconfigurations of these things
as well.
And then, what's theenvironment that the tanks kind
of sit in?
Shannon (05:49):
Does the foundation of the tank matter?
For, like you know, because Iknow, we do a lot of skid
mounted tanks?
David (05:54):
Right, yeah, it matters, that's customer preference.
Our tanks will go out of hereat very least with steel saddles
that are welded to the tank, soit's an integral part of the
tank.
A lot of the stuff that goes toAlaska will have skids under it
.
That's more of a means to movethe tank once it's on the job
site, to get it where it needsto go.
Right, yeah, you can't reallydrag them very well with just
(06:18):
saddles under it.
Shannon (06:19):
Okay.
So we need to know the type ofproduct going into the tank.
We need to know the size youwant the tank to be and a lot of
times that size depends on manythings like how often you get
barges, your fuel usage duringan average time period and then,
after those two things, youneed to look at the standards
that apply to the size and theproduct type, and then maybe
(06:42):
also customer preference orengineer preference whoever's
designing the tank installationRight a lot of that's going to
have to do with the engineeringfirm that's involved in laying
out the site.
David (06:53):
We're seeing more and more fireguard tanks these days.
It's just a better product.
You don't see too many aboveground double walls anymore, or
single walls anymore, unlessit's just residential.
Yeah, we Primary double wall orfireguard.
Shannon (07:11):
We're seeing the secondary containment
requirements under 40 CFR 112making the single wall kind of
obsolete.
Right Double wall means youdon't have to have a secondary
containment area if you've gotthe right appartnances on the
tank, and so, yeah, we've seenthe same thing.
Fireguard is interesting though, and I'll ask you about that in
a minute, because they're alittle different than the UL 142
(07:32):
.
But what are some of the commonappartnances that you install
on a tank?
What usually comes with a tank,let's say, double double
double a double wall for mostpeople at rendering us?
David (07:43):
Well, all of our tanks are required to ship with
emergency vents, so we'll dothat for sure.
Beyond that, it really iscustomer dependent.
A lot of these installers wantto supply the parts that they're
going to install in a tank thefill equipment, the pumping
equipment or dispensingequipment, whatever venting they
(08:06):
want to do, and then gauging,monitoring.
A lot of them will determinethat themselves and install it
themselves.
We do do some turnkey packagesand they can get pretty
complicated, especially whenwe're talking about aviation
fueling systems.
But for the most part they'regoing to ship with emergency
vents, at very least.
Shannon (08:26):
And do the emergency vents?
I have definitely seen themwith shipping caps still on them
.
So could you talk a little bitabout, like there's a weighted
plate that goes into youremergency vent and that has to
be installed and it has to befree moving so that it can
actually lift, but when you shipit, sometimes that plate is not
attached, correct?
David (08:44):
Yeah, sometimes, depending on shipping
restrictions, heightrestrictions, we'll ship the
emergency vents boxed with thetank and then it just has to be
installed as soon as the tankarrives on site.
Shannon (08:56):
Yes, and I know that there is a free installation
guidance from I think it's PEM,and they talk about how to
install a UL142 or a 2085 tankcorrectly.
It's free, so we can link thatin the show notes for this Sure.
David (09:10):
There's also one available for an STI as well.
Shannon (09:13):
We'll link both then in the show notes.
So let's go back to UL142versus UL2085, which is also
called Fireguard, and there'ssome other standards that are
similar to Fireguard.
Like that is.
One of the most commonquestions we get is like why
spend more for that protectedtank?
Like what's the differencebetween the two and why would
you prefer one over the other?
David (09:35):
Sure a UL 142 style or STIF 921.
Those are intimate contactsecondary containment double
wall tanks.
So the purpose of the secondarycontainment version of that
part of that tank is literallyjust to contain a leak.
That's what its purpose is Inthe case of the fire guard.
(09:56):
The secondary containment willcontain the leak, but there's
also an interstitial spacebetween the primary and the
secondary vessels that's filledwith a lightweight concrete is
that acts as an insulator forthe product against exterior
heat sources.
So these tanks have been testedin a hydrocarbon pool fire of
(10:16):
2000 degrees for up to fourhours without any kind of
detrimental effect to the fluidthat's inside of the tank.
So they offer the insulatingproperties.
They also offer ballisticprotection, vehicle impact
protection, explosion protection, and these are all tested by
STI and UL.
(10:36):
So that's really the bigdifference between the double
wall UL 142 or the UL 2085 fireguard tanks.
Shannon (10:45):
So we've got additional insulation and I imagine that
would have some potentialbenefits for inventory control
as well, because the temperatureof your fuel inside the tank
would not fall on hot day inFairbanks versus a cold day in
Fairbanks.
We have a really widetemperature variation.
We also I do know for ourclients with really tight port
(11:06):
locations that the 2085 tankscan go much closer to buildings
because of the fire rating thanjust a standard double wall tank
.
I think they can go within fivefeet, which is pretty tight.
Let's walk through the basicsof construction.
Could you walk me throughbuilding like a UL 142 tank?
(11:27):
Let's do double wall for now.
Where do you start?
How thick is the steel?
What is sort of the pieces andparts of the process?
How are they constructed?
David (11:36):
Sure.
So the material thickness willdepend on the size of the tank.
It seems like the most of theones I go out here are a quarter
inch thick primary shell, 516heads.
That seems to be the mostcommon.
So yeah, we order the plate, itcomes in and we roll it into
the specific shape that it needsto be.
We cut and flange the heads forthe tanks.
(11:57):
So we're building a cylinder,basically like a soda can laying
on its side.
So we'll install the heads,weld everything up and we do the
same thing for the secondary.
Now each of these vessels ofprimary and secondary is tested
multiple times for leakage, justto be sure that this thing goes
out of here without anyproblems.
So we'll build the primary,we'll wrap it with the secondary
(12:20):
, we install the fittings, wetest it all.
While this is going on, we'rebuilding the saddles or the
sporks, the skid, all thesupport mechanism for the tanks
so that once the tank is done,it can be flown over and set in
place on its saddles and skid.
Shannon (12:38):
And when you say flown over, you're talking about
overhead cranes that are able tomove it over.
Lay it down to that skidsupport.
I've been to Anchorage Tank andseen the process a couple times
, so let me back up because someof our clients have trouble
imagining this.
But you said previously,intimate contact, and so these
steel tanks are basicallysleeved one inside the other,
(13:00):
correct?
There's very little spacebetween the two plates of steel
on a standard double wall tank.
David (13:05):
Right On a typical UL 142 double wall, and we're talking
about the length, so the shellitself, not the heads.
The shell is intimate contact,so that's literally, if you
could imagine, a laminate, soyou have the steel against steel
, primary against secondary, theheads.
There's going to be aninterstitial space on the ends
(13:26):
of the tank, but we do thatprimarily for ease of monitoring
, so that you can drop monitorsdown and there's usually an
appurtenance for a sensor, orsometimes there's a visual.
Shannon (13:38):
It's called an observation.
Well, so you can see to thebottom.
David (13:41):
Right, so that's what it is.
Intermit contact is just shellagainst shell.
Shannon (13:47):
So, taking that idea, let's move over to the 2085,
because those are a littledifferent.
David (13:53):
you said yeah, so in the 2085, again, it's a secondary
containment vessel, but thedifference is there's a three
inch interstitial space betweenthe primary and the secondary,
so they are not intimate contactat this point.
So we do.
Obviously we put standoffsinside of there to keep them
separate until we can get theinsulation.
Shannon (14:15):
And those are like little brace pieces of some kind
that just make sure that thatthree inches maintained Okay
right, yeah, this is a vanglerflat bar.
David (14:24):
Sure, yeah, so then once the two tanks are joined, then
we pump that interstitial spacewith the lightweight concrete
material.
Shannon (14:33):
And I got to see it once.
It's like a foam, it's likeconcrete foam, correct?
David (14:38):
Right, that's what it looks like.
Sure, yeah, once it's dry, it'syou can crumbly in your hands
it's.
It really requires thestructure to keep its integrity.
It's not something you want touse for your driveway.
Shannon (14:49):
No, no, and it's maintaining those air bubbles
around the tank.
Right, it's creating lots ofsmall air cushions to keep the
like.
That's the insulation.
Is the air that's wrappedinside that concrete foam,
correct?
David (15:00):
Just like fiberglass insulation in your house.
It's the air that keeps thekeeps the heat in and the cold
out.
Yeah.
Shannon (15:06):
So for observing leaks in a 28 five tank there's a
little bit different setup onthose interstitial monitoring
areas.
Right, that's a little.
David (15:17):
It can be on the fire guards, the 2085s.
We, the interstitial monitorwill have a drop tube pipe that
goes all the way to the bottomof the secondary tank and we do
that so that, obviously, onceyou fill that up with insulation
, if you don't have that pipe inthere, you can't install your
monitor.
So that's what it's about inthis.
In the double wall tanks theremay or may not be an internal
(15:41):
drop tube.
It just depends on the customerwhat kind of equipment they're
going to use.
Shannon (15:45):
We prefer the drop tube kind because if you're going to
install an interstitial sensor,it's easier to drop it to the
bottom of the tank and have itconsistently land where it's
supposed to land, as opposed toa three to five inch wild area
where the cord can pool and itcan move around.
And we prefer the drop tubes aswell.
Sure.
David (16:05):
There are some sensors though, that that will thread on
to the end of, say, a one inchpipe.
Morrison, for example, has onethat'll thread on to the end of
a pipe, and then you wouldthread the other end of that
pipe to a double tap bushing andthen drop that through.
So in that case you don't needa drop tube because it has its
own.
Shannon (16:23):
Okay, it's coming with it already.
Okay, that's good to know.
You mentioned that you do a lotof leak testing.
I feel like the welds that youcan perform in the shop are
pretty thorough.
Do you want to talk about thewelding that goes into these
tanks?
David (16:36):
Sure, yeah, these larger tanks are all sub arc welded.
So we weld the primary and thesecondary inside and outside.
So on the inside of the tankit's welded either by hand, if
it's small enough, or by atractor driven sub arc machine,
and then on the outside of thetank it's sub arc again.
(16:57):
So these are full penetrationwelds on the shells and the
heads.
Shannon (17:05):
And do you guys have a certification or a listing from
UL 142 and UL 285 to constructthese tanks?
David (17:11):
Right.
Yes, we have files for UL for alot of different technologies.
The same thing with STI.
Shannon (17:18):
Okay, I was going to ask about stainless steel tanks
because we are getting morequestions about those.
Some of the additives that wework with require stainless
steel tanks.
Do you guys construct stainlesssteel as well?
David (17:29):
We do.
Shannon (17:30):
And what would be a typical service for a stainless
steel tank?
I mean additives, clearly, likeI just said, but like what else
?
Is there other other serviceswe're using them for in Alaska?
David (17:39):
Yeah, sometimes we'll opt to a stainless steel primary
tank, whether it's a fire guardor double wall.
If it's more cost effective,then the coatings that would be
required for a mild steel tank.
Other applications would beaviation.
Sometimes they just wantaviation tanks to have stainless
primaries or DEF tanks.
(18:01):
Those are going to be stainless.
Water tanks are going to bestainless.
Shannon (18:07):
And the reason we're picking stainless over mild
steel or carbon steel is for thecorrosion resistance.
Correct, right, all right.
So speaking of coatings andlinings, when do you apply
coatings at the shop?
David (18:21):
So the exterior coatings are done as soon as the tank's
complete, so once it's passedits final quality control checks
for construction, then it goesinto the paint shop.
As far as the internal coatingsgo, we'll do the internal after
the primary has been built andtested, but before it's mounted
(18:42):
to its supports.
And we'll do it that way so wecan roll the tank upside down in
the paint shop so that when weblast the inside of the tank we
can sweep off the media insteadof having to carry it out.
Shannon (18:54):
I see that's clever and not every tank gets an internal
lining right.
It has to be a specificationfor the use of the tank and
requested as part of that order.
Right, right, yep, and internallinings.
We see them a lot with aviationfuels or for highly corrosive
environments.
We have some in some reallyremote locations that we know
(19:16):
have to last 20 or more years inthat location, and so we always
recommend internal lining tohelp make that tank last the
length of time it needs to last.
Let's see.
Let's talk about shipping atank.
What do you need to know aboutshipping and receiving tanks?
David (19:33):
Well, we don't receive them because we build them, so
we ship them out.
Shannon (19:37):
Right, but if we're going to receive a tank, what do
you need to know to get one offthe barge?
David (19:42):
Sure, Well, you're going to.
I mean, at this point thecustomer would already have the
drawings for the tank, sothey'll have the rigging layout.
They need to know what theyhave to do to rig this tank to
be able to pick it from thefront.
Shannon (19:53):
They'll have the weight as well, correct, because it'll
tell you the weight of the tankand wait.
David (19:57):
You're going to want to know that stuff ahead of time
for sure.
Shannon (20:00):
Okay, I did have a question how large can you build
horizontal tanks and is itdifferent between UL 142 and UL
2085?
Like what's the typical max outsize?
David (20:14):
Yeah, so it's so this the spec is that the tank can't be
more than six times in lengththan its diameter.
So you know, if it's a 12 footdiameter tank, it can't be more
than six times that in length.
Shannon (20:27):
Okay.
David (20:27):
Now, that being said, we are limited to 60,000 gallons on
a lot of these things, and thateven further.
We're limited by what we canget down the road.
Shannon (20:40):
Yes, so you could make a 60,000 gallon tank, for
example, but it might not beable to be shipped on a standard
barge.
It's possible, right, it ispossible.
Good to know.
David (20:53):
We're currently building two 62,000 gallon tanks here.
Shannon (20:56):
Okay.
David (20:58):
Now these are going to be used for one of the local
seafood shellfish guys, so thatthere's seawater tanks.
Shannon (21:07):
Oh, okay, interesting, All right.
And then after that sizerestriction, like the 60,000
plus gallons, we start gettinginto considering vertical tanks
rather than horizontal.
David (21:19):
Well, we're limited there as well.
Shannon (21:21):
So how big can these tanks be once you get past
60,000 gallons on the horizontalside?
Like can they be bigger thanthat On the horizontals?
David (21:31):
No, not, really not for us.
That's a that's kind of aloaded question.
If we could build larger diner,they could be bigger.
Shannon (21:37):
But yeah, so 12 foot diameter is your typical yeah.
David (21:43):
for us, typically, 60 to 62,000 gallons is going to be
our limit.
Shannon (21:47):
Okay, what about vertical tanks under UL?
What are their bigger limits onthe vertical side?
David (21:55):
Yeah, so for the vertical tanks, UL requires that the
minimum diameter of a verticaltank cannot be less than one
quarter of its height.
Additionally, they can exceed50 feet or 60,000 gallons.
Shannon (22:10):
Okay, and then if you want to get bigger than that,
then we just will move over toAPI 653 and it would be a
different kind of construction.
You guys specialize in shopbuilt tanks and so once you get
over a certain size you'rerunning into limitations in the
shop and the standard.
Okay, I got it.
I think I got that.
Hopefully that answersquestions for some of our
(22:30):
clients who are always asking ushow big can they go?
It's important to realize thatthere's regulations for safety
and for construction quality andall these other things in place
to make sure that you've got atank that works the way you
intend it to work, for the careand maintenance of the tanks
once they get them.
I'm sure you guys have dealtwith replacing tanks over the
(22:52):
years.
Do you have any?
Do you have any like bestpractices or helpful hints for a
tank owner to prolong the lifeof their tank?
David (22:59):
Well, I'd say the number one cause to failure is water in
the tank.
So you have to keep the waterout of your tank.
Besides that, it's relativelysimple and basic for the typical
tank owner.
What you're going to be able tosee is obviously the exterior
of your tank.
So if you see nicks, dents,scratches, that sort of thing,
(23:22):
deal with it when you see it,Don't let it fester.
Corrosion is your tank's enemyfor sure.
So you want to take care ofthat stuff immediately.
Shannon (23:31):
And that means taking care of the coating, because
when the coating from a like, ifa coating gets damaged from a
scratch or from whatever, itstarts radiating outward and you
know, five years later Bob'syour uncle.
You've got half the tank sideexposed and corroding.
David (23:47):
Right, exactly, yeah, so you take care of your coatings.
I would do at a minimum annualinspections of the interior of
the vessel, if it's accessible.
Shannon (23:58):
So actually opening it up, looking inside when the fuel
is drawn down?
What would you look for inthere?
David (24:04):
Again, you're looking for any signs of corrosion or algae
growth that would causecorrosion.
If you have an internal lining,then you're looking for any
sorts of holidays or nicks orscratches or missing coating.
Again, you want to deal withthis stuff as quickly as you can
.
Shannon (24:21):
Yep.
Or we also see coatings lift upbecause water's gotten
underneath them and then justyou can start seeing it bubbling
and it looks like zits.
There's just lots and lots oflittle pustules all over the
bottom of the tank.
What kinds of things reallyshorten the life of a tank?
David (24:40):
Well, again, water.
That's the biggest thing, andit really just comes down to
maintenance, just basicmaintenance.
Shannon (24:48):
Water maintenance.
What about keeping the tanklevel or making sure that all
the appurtenances are supported?
David (24:53):
Yeah, I think so that comes back to making sure you're
keeping water out of your tank.
If your appurtenances are notseated correctly, they're not
threaded, you have leaky threads, whatever that's going to
introduce water in your tank.
Especially in the last guy, Iwould see that people would want
to put these water blockfilters on their tanks, which is
(25:13):
a great idea.
But if you're concerned aboutblocking the water coming out of
your tank, I think you would bemore concerned about the water
that's in your tank.
Shannon (25:23):
Yes, but sometimes it's easier for people to block the
water than to do the $100,000project to fix all the vents and
re-level the tank or whatever.
So we see all kinds.
But the long-term proactiveapproach would be to repair
things when they break, maintainyour coatings, prevent
(25:44):
corrosion and actually lookinside your tank often, at least
once a year, in a real lookinside, not peering through the
gauge hatch but actually openingup maybe the manway and taking
a look inside when the product'sdrawn down.
David (25:58):
Right, and I'm sure that there are tests you can do with
the fuel that would tell you ifthere's anything inside that
tank that shouldn't be there.
Shannon (26:06):
Like microbial growth or algae.
Yep, yeah, that's part of it,but they need to be looking at
the internal steel and coatingsand looking for evidence of
water intrusion in there as well, because they may not have
water right now when they'relooking at it, but they might
have had water earlier in theyear when it was a lot rainier.
Okay, okay, those are allreally good suggestions.
(26:30):
Are there any other resourceswe can share with our listeners?
David (26:35):
For sure you would want to look at our website.
There's good information onGreerTankcom, UL website, STI's
website.
Those are all great sources forinformation and certainly go
visit one of our shops and talkto one of our guys.
Shannon (26:51):
Yes, I would love that.
I will take you up on that.
But I think what's really niceabout Greer at least every time
we've interacted with you guysis it really is an open book.
There's a strong desire to helpyou get what you need, and if
you want to go see something orlearn more about it, you guys
are really welcoming and open tothat.
(27:12):
So I appreciate it from our end.
David (27:17):
Absolutely.
I'm sure we're going to be ontour and showing people around
Awesome.
Shannon (27:19):
All right, and then last, do you have any fun tank
facts or fun history to sharewith us?
David (27:27):
Boy, I wish I did.
I sure wish I did.
Shannon (27:30):
Have you ever seen a wooden tank?
David (27:33):
I have not.
I don't think I want to.
Shannon (27:37):
Sounds like you might have I have.
In Adak there are still manywooden tanks.
Some of them were used forwater and some were used for
fuel, and it's not there anymore.
But when I first started goingout to Adak in 2008, there was a
wooden fuel truck.
So it was a fuel truck and ithad an oblong wooden tank on the
(28:00):
back, but it was clearly a fueltruck.
It even had a pump on it.
It was not a water truck, sothey did use them.
I mean wood swells when it'swet, whether it's fuel or water.
David (28:09):
Sure, yeah, the closest thing I've ever seen to that
would be the woodstaves sewerpipe.
Shannon (28:15):
Yep, it's very similar looking.
The stuff I saw had a lot ofmastic on the outside.
It was like they just coated itin tar.
I mean, it was World War II, sothere probably wasn't a whole
lot of steel available, Iimagine.
Sure, yeah, so do what you haveto Yep.
David, thank you so much foryour time today.
(28:36):
I really enjoyed listening towhat you had to say.
I appreciate all the experienceyou brought to the table.
We appreciate you coming on theshow so much.
David (28:44):
Sure, absolutely.
Good morning, and and welcome to Tank Talk.
I'm I'm interviewing DavidKapla from Greer Steel Inc.
They make most of the tanksthat I see for heating oil and
many other uses in Alaska.
are a foundational business forAlaska, and most Alaskans are
very familiar with the Greerlogo.
They've seen it on many tanks,and so, David, welcome.
They are a foundationalbusiness for Alaska that most
Alaskans are very familiar withthe Greer logo They've seen it
on many, many tanks and so,david, welcome.
(00:21):
Could you tell us a little bitabout yourself and about Greer
Steel?
David (00:26):
Sure, so I started with Greer in 1998, in the in the
spring of 1998.
I worked in the Fairbanks shopfor the first part of my career
with the in 2009 and in 20O9moved down here to Lakewood to
take over operations when themanager that was running it at
the time was ready to retire.
Greer was started in 1952 in aone-car garage in downtown
(00:50):
Fairbanks.
In 1956, we built the firstshop in Fairbanks, which still
stands and is still in operationpart-time.
Shannon (00:59):
I've been to that one many times.
David (01:02):
That's over in Hamilton Acres.
Yep, Yep.
In 1972, we expanded sales toAnchorage.
In 1980, we built the shop inAnchorage.
In 1983 is when we built whatpeople know as the Fairbanks
shop, now over at Lakeview.
(01:22):
In 1995, we expanded to Tacomawith a very small shop down in
the Tacoma Tide Flats in 1998.
Shannon (01:35):
So for the first 45 years you were just solely in
Alaska serving Alaskans.
David (01:40):
Wo, ight, .
Well, we saw a need to expanddown in Tacoma, because you
can't reach the west coast ofAlaska or southeast of Alaska
from anywhere within Alaska withour products.
Shannon (01:55):
Yeah, from the barge lines, You've got to originate
in Washington.
David (01:58):
Yeah, exactly, they have to originate at the barge in
Seattle.
So that's why I did that.
In 1998, we moved the Tacomashop to Lakewood, which is where
we are now.
Also in 1998, we built thefirst plastic shop.
Shannon (02:14):
O f y.
I actually used to own a Greerwater tank when I lived in
Fairbanks and I had a dry binto haul all our water in.
David (02:22):
Right, that's when we started building those.
In 2008, we expanded theLakewood shop the first time.
n 2011, we expanded the plasticshop in Fairbanks In 2014,.
we expanded the Lakewood shopagain, adding more production
facility and a new p a paintfacility.
(02:43):
In 2015, we expanded theplastic shop again in Fairbanks
and that's where we are today.
We're still expanding, stilllooking for more market.
I see big things to come.
Shannon (02:58):
And correct me if I'm wrong, but do you own or work
with ACE in Anchorage as well?
David (03:03):
No, it's Anchorage Tank.
Oh, Anchorage Tank.
Okay, correct.
Yeah, we purchase a AnchorageTank.
I'm not sur tha.
I think maybe around 2012 or2014, 2012.
2 timeframe.
Shannon (03:17):
Oh, Yeah Yeah Yeah, it's always fun when we're out
on the site to see the differenttank names, because so many of
them have come and gone.
Greer, of course, is still here, but it's fun to see the I saw
one the other day in Fairbankscalled Superman Tanks and I had
not seen that one before.
A All r right manufacturer names.
I saw one the other day inFairbanks called Superman tanks
and I had not seen that onebefore All right?
David (03:33):
Nope, not heard of that.
You'll see, if you look closeon the ACE tanks a lot of them
you'll see our name on it as weproduce the tanks for them.
Shannon (03:42):
Oh, okay, that makes sense, all right.
Well, Greer has a long historyin Alaska.
You guys are experts at makingtanks, and so I thought I would
bring you on to talk about someof the things you could share
with our listeners about theconstruction and maintenance and
care of tanks.
I think that many of ourlisteners have tanks and they're
(04:04):
responsible for them, andthey're also responsible for
ordering new tanks, and so Ithink this information would be
really helpful to them.
And I wanted to start with theordering of a tank, because our
firm helps our clients ordertanks quite a bit.
Could you give us an idea ofwhat's helpful to know when
you're getting ready to purchasea tank?
What kinds of information doyou need to have ready when you
(04:25):
are going to talk to someonelike Greer and get a tank
ordered?
David (04:28):
Well, sure, I mean at this point I'm assuming we're
not talking about residentialsmall home heating oil tanks,
because that's prettystraightforward.
Shannon (04:38):
Yeah, Heating oil tanks are not our typical client.
We typically work with largerbulk industrial facilities.
So yeah, for this discussionlet's talk about an average bulk
fuel tank for fleet fueling ormaybe aviation fueling,
something like that.
David (04:52):
Sure, I mean, those are two good points right there.
The first thing we need to knowis what's going in this tank.
Is it going to be diesel?
Is it going to be gasolineaviation fuel?
What is it?
What's going in there?
That helps us to determine notonly the fitting layout of the
tank but the coatings for thetank.
Shannon (05:10):
So are there different standards for different services
.
David (05:13):
Sure, yeah, yeah, there's different equipment that gets
used.
The different equipmentrequires different openings.
A lot of that has to do withthe installing contractor.
You know what their preferencesare as well.
So, but we of course need toknow how big.
You know.
What's the size of this tank?
How many gallons are we talkingabout?
Then?
What sort of technology are wetalking about?
Are we looking at a single wall, a double wall, a fire guard?
(05:36):
Is it vertical, cylindrical,rectangular, you know,
horizontal?
There are a lot of differentconfigurations of these things
as well.
And then, what's theenvironment that the tanks kind
of sit in?
Shannon (05:49):
Does the foundation of the tank matter?
For, like you know, because Iknow, we do a lot of skid
mounted tanks?
David (05:54):
Right, yeah, it matters, that's customer preference.
Our tanks will go out of hereat very least with steel saddles
that are welded to the tank, soit's an integral part of the
tank.
A lot of the stuff that goes toAlaska will have skids under it
.
That's more of a means to movethe tank once it's on the job
site, to get it where it needsto go.
Right, yeah, you can't reallydrag them very well with just
(06:18):
saddles under it.
Shannon (06:19):
Okay.
So we need to know the type ofproduct going into the tank.
We need to know the size youwant the tank to be and a lot of
times that size depends on manythings like how often you get
barges, your fuel usage duringan average time period and then,
after those two things, youneed to look at the standards
that apply to the size and theproduct type, and then maybe
(06:42):
also customer preference orengineer preference whoever's
designing the tank installationRight a lot of that's going to
have to do with the engineeringfirm that's involved in laying
out the site.
David (06:53):
We're seeing more and more fireguard tanks these days.
It's just a better product.
You don't see too many aboveground double walls anymore, or
single walls anymore, unlessit's just residential.
Yeah, we Primary double wall orfireguard.
Shannon (07:11):
We're seeing the secondary containment
requirements under 40 CFR 112making the single wall kind of
obsolete.
Right Double wall means youdon't have to have a secondary
containment area if you've gotthe right appartnances on the
tank, and so, yeah, we've seenthe same thing.
Fireguard is interesting though, and I'll ask you about that in
a minute, because they're alittle different than the UL 142
(07:32):
.
But what are some of the commonappartnances that you install
on a tank?
What usually comes with a tank,let's say, double double
double a double wall for mostpeople at rendering us?
David (07:43):
Well, all of our tanks are required to ship with
emergency vents, so we'll dothat for sure.
Beyond that, it really iscustomer dependent.
A lot of these installers wantto supply the parts that they're
going to install in a tank thefill equipment, the pumping
equipment or dispensingequipment, whatever venting they
(08:06):
want to do, and then gauging,monitoring.
A lot of them will determinethat themselves and install it
themselves.
We do do some turnkey packagesand they can get pretty
complicated, especially whenwe're talking about aviation
fueling systems.
But for the most part they'regoing to ship with emergency
vents, at very least.
Shannon (08:26):
And do the emergency vents?
I have definitely seen themwith shipping caps still on them
.
So could you talk a little bitabout, like there's a weighted
plate that goes into youremergency vent and that has to
be installed and it has to befree moving so that it can
actually lift, but when you shipit, sometimes that plate is not
attached, correct?
David (08:44):
Yeah, sometimes, depending on shipping
restrictions, heightrestrictions, we'll ship the
emergency vents boxed with thetank and then it just has to be
installed as soon as the tankarrives on site.
Shannon (08:56):
Yes, and I know that there is a free installation
guidance from I think it's PEM,and they talk about how to
install a UL142 or a 2085 tankcorrectly.
It's free, so we can link thatin the show notes for this Sure.
David (09:10):
There's also one available for an STI as well.
Shannon (09:13):
We'll link both then in the show notes.
So let's go back to UL142versus UL2085, which is also
called Fireguard, and there'ssome other standards that are
similar to Fireguard.
Like that is.
One of the most commonquestions we get is like why
spend more for that protectedtank?
Like what's the differencebetween the two and why would
you prefer one over the other?
David (09:35):
Sure a UL 142 style or STIF 921.
Those are intimate contactsecondary containment double
wall tanks.
So the purpose of the secondarycontainment version of that
part of that tank is literallyjust to contain a leak.
That's what its purpose is Inthe case of the fire guard.
(09:56):
The secondary containment willcontain the leak, but there's
also an interstitial spacebetween the primary and the
secondary vessels that's filledwith a lightweight concrete is
that acts as an insulator forthe product against exterior
heat sources.
So these tanks have been testedin a hydrocarbon pool fire of
(10:16):
2000 degrees for up to fourhours without any kind of
detrimental effect to the fluidthat's inside of the tank.
So they offer the insulatingproperties.
They also offer ballisticprotection, vehicle impact
protection, explosion protection, and these are all tested by
STI and UL.
(10:36):
So that's really the bigdifference between the double
wall UL 142 or the UL 2085 fireguard tanks.
Shannon (10:45):
So we've got additional insulation and I imagine that
would have some potentialbenefits for inventory control
as well, because the temperatureof your fuel inside the tank
would not fall on hot day inFairbanks versus a cold day in
Fairbanks.
We have a really widetemperature variation.
We also I do know for ourclients with really tight port
(11:06):
locations that the 2085 tankscan go much closer to buildings
because of the fire rating thanjust a standard double wall tank
.
I think they can go within fivefeet, which is pretty tight.
Let's walk through the basicsof construction.
Could you walk me throughbuilding like a UL 142 tank?
(11:27):
Let's do double wall for now.
Where do you start?
How thick is the steel?
What is sort of the pieces andparts of the process?
How are they constructed?
David (11:36):
Sure.
So the material thickness willdepend on the size of the tank.
It seems like the most of theones I go out here are a quarter
inch thick primary shell, 516heads.
That seems to be the mostcommon.
So yeah, we order the plate, itcomes in and we roll it into
the specific shape that it needsto be.
We cut and flange the heads forthe tanks.
(11:57):
So we're building a cylinder,basically like a soda can laying
on its side.
So we'll install the heads,weld everything up and we do the
same thing for the secondary.
Now each of these vessels ofprimary and secondary is tested
multiple times for leakage, justto be sure that this thing goes
out of here without anyproblems.
So we'll build the primary,we'll wrap it with the secondary
(12:20):
, we install the fittings, wetest it all.
While this is going on, we'rebuilding the saddles or the
sporks, the skid, all thesupport mechanism for the tanks
so that once the tank is done,it can be flown over and set in
place on its saddles and skid.
Shannon (12:38):
And when you say flown over, you're talking about
overhead cranes that are able tomove it over.
Lay it down to that skidsupport.
I've been to Anchorage Tank andseen the process a couple times
, so let me back up because someof our clients have trouble
imagining this.
But you said previously,intimate contact, and so these
steel tanks are basicallysleeved one inside the other,
(13:00):
correct?
There's very little spacebetween the two plates of steel
on a standard double wall tank.
David (13:05):
Right On a typical UL 142 double wall, and we're talking
about the length, so the shellitself, not the heads.
The shell is intimate contact,so that's literally, if you
could imagine, a laminate, soyou have the steel against steel
, primary against secondary, theheads.
There's going to be aninterstitial space on the ends
(13:26):
of the tank, but we do thatprimarily for ease of monitoring
, so that you can drop monitorsdown and there's usually an
appurtenance for a sensor, orsometimes there's a visual.
Shannon (13:38):
It's called an observation.
Well, so you can see to thebottom.
David (13:41):
Right, so that's what it is.
Intermit contact is just shellagainst shell.
Shannon (13:47):
So, taking that idea, let's move over to the 2085,
because those are a littledifferent.
David (13:53):
you said yeah, so in the 2085, again, it's a secondary
containment vessel, but thedifference is there's a three
inch interstitial space betweenthe primary and the secondary,
so they are not intimate contactat this point.
So we do.
Obviously we put standoffsinside of there to keep them
separate until we can get theinsulation.
Shannon (14:15):
And those are like little brace pieces of some kind
that just make sure that thatthree inches maintained Okay
right, yeah, this is a vanglerflat bar.
David (14:24):
Sure, yeah, so then once the two tanks are joined, then
we pump that interstitial spacewith the lightweight concrete
material.
Shannon (14:33):
And I got to see it once.
It's like a foam, it's likeconcrete foam, correct?
David (14:38):
Right, that's what it looks like.
Sure, yeah, once it's dry, it'syou can crumbly in your hands
it's.
It really requires thestructure to keep its integrity.
It's not something you want touse for your driveway.
Shannon (14:49):
No, no, and it's maintaining those air bubbles
around the tank.
Right, it's creating lots ofsmall air cushions to keep the
like.
That's the insulation.
Is the air that's wrappedinside that concrete foam,
correct?
David (15:00):
Just like fiberglass insulation in your house.
It's the air that keeps thekeeps the heat in and the cold
out.
Yeah.
Shannon (15:06):
So for observing leaks in a 28 five tank there's a
little bit different setup onthose interstitial monitoring
areas.
Right, that's a little.
David (15:17):
It can be on the fire guards, the 2085s.
We, the interstitial monitorwill have a drop tube pipe that
goes all the way to the bottomof the secondary tank and we do
that so that, obviously, onceyou fill that up with insulation
, if you don't have that pipe inthere, you can't install your
monitor.
So that's what it's about inthis.
In the double wall tanks theremay or may not be an internal
(15:41):
drop tube.
It just depends on the customerwhat kind of equipment they're
going to use.
Shannon (15:45):
We prefer the drop tube kind because if you're going to
install an interstitial sensor,it's easier to drop it to the
bottom of the tank and have itconsistently land where it's
supposed to land, as opposed toa three to five inch wild area
where the cord can pool and itcan move around.
And we prefer the drop tubes aswell.
Sure.
David (16:05):
There are some sensors though, that that will thread on
to the end of, say, a one inchpipe.
Morrison, for example, has onethat'll thread on to the end of
a pipe, and then you wouldthread the other end of that
pipe to a double tap bushing andthen drop that through.
So in that case you don't needa drop tube because it has its
own.
Shannon (16:23):
Okay, it's coming with it already.
Okay, that's good to know.
You mentioned that you do a lotof leak testing.
I feel like the welds that youcan perform in the shop are
pretty thorough.
Do you want to talk about thewelding that goes into these
tanks?
David (16:36):
Sure, yeah, these larger tanks are all sub arc welded.
So we weld the primary and thesecondary inside and outside.
So on the inside of the tankit's welded either by hand, if
it's small enough, or by atractor driven sub arc machine,
and then on the outside of thetank it's sub arc again.
(16:57):
So these are full penetrationwelds on the shells and the
heads.
Shannon (17:05):
And do you guys have a certification or a listing from
UL 142 and UL 285 to constructthese tanks?
David (17:11):
Right.
Yes, we have files for UL for alot of different technologies.
The same thing with STI.
Shannon (17:18):
Okay, I was going to ask about stainless steel tanks
because we are getting morequestions about those.
Some of the additives that wework with require stainless
steel tanks.
Do you guys construct stainlesssteel as well?
David (17:29):
We do.
Shannon (17:30):
And what would be a typical service for a stainless
steel tank?
I mean additives, clearly, likeI just said, but like what else
?
Is there other other serviceswe're using them for in Alaska?
David (17:39):
Yeah, sometimes we'll opt to a stainless steel primary
tank, whether it's a fire guardor double wall.
If it's more cost effective,then the coatings that would be
required for a mild steel tank.
Other applications would beaviation.
Sometimes they just wantaviation tanks to have stainless
primaries or DEF tanks.
(18:01):
Those are going to be stainless.
Water tanks are going to bestainless.
Shannon (18:07):
And the reason we're picking stainless over mild
steel or carbon steel is for thecorrosion resistance.
Correct, right, all right.
So speaking of coatings andlinings, when do you apply
coatings at the shop?
David (18:21):
So the exterior coatings are done as soon as the tank's
complete, so once it's passedits final quality control checks
for construction, then it goesinto the paint shop.
As far as the internal coatingsgo, we'll do the internal after
the primary has been built andtested, but before it's mounted
(18:42):
to its supports.
And we'll do it that way so wecan roll the tank upside down in
the paint shop so that when weblast the inside of the tank we
can sweep off the media insteadof having to carry it out.
Shannon (18:54):
I see that's clever and not every tank gets an internal
lining right.
It has to be a specificationfor the use of the tank and
requested as part of that order.
Right, right, yep, and internallinings.
We see them a lot with aviationfuels or for highly corrosive
environments.
We have some in some reallyremote locations that we know
(19:16):
have to last 20 or more years inthat location, and so we always
recommend internal lining tohelp make that tank last the
length of time it needs to last.
Let's see.
Let's talk about shipping atank.
What do you need to know aboutshipping and receiving tanks?
David (19:33):
Well, we don't receive them because we build them, so
we ship them out.
Shannon (19:37):
Right, but if we're going to receive a tank, what do
you need to know to get one offthe barge?
David (19:42):
Sure, Well, you're going to.
I mean, at this point thecustomer would already have the
drawings for the tank, sothey'll have the rigging layout.
They need to know what theyhave to do to rig this tank to
be able to pick it from thefront.
Shannon (19:53):
They'll have the weight as well, correct, because it'll
tell you the weight of the tankand wait.
David (19:57):
You're going to want to know that stuff ahead of time
for sure.
Shannon (20:00):
Okay, I did have a question how large can you build
horizontal tanks and is itdifferent between UL 142 and UL
2085?
Like what's the typical max outsize?
David (20:14):
Yeah, so it's so this the spec is that the tank can't be
more than six times in lengththan its diameter.
So you know, if it's a 12 footdiameter tank, it can't be more
than six times that in length.
Shannon (20:27):
Okay.
David (20:27):
Now, that being said, we are limited to 60,000 gallons on
a lot of these things, and thateven further.
We're limited by what we canget down the road.
Shannon (20:40):
Yes, so you could make a 60,000 gallon tank, for
example, but it might not beable to be shipped on a standard
barge.
It's possible, right, it ispossible.
Good to know.
David (20:53):
We're currently building two 62,000 gallon tanks here.
Shannon (20:56):
Okay.
David (20:58):
Now these are going to be used for one of the local
seafood shellfish guys, so thatthere's seawater tanks.
Shannon (21:07):
Oh, okay, interesting, All right.
And then after that sizerestriction, like the 60,000
plus gallons, we start gettinginto considering vertical tanks
rather than horizontal.
David (21:19):
Well, we're limited there as well.
Shannon (21:21):
So how big can these tanks be once you get past
60,000 gallons on the horizontalside?
Like can they be bigger thanthat On the horizontals?
David (21:31):
No, not, really not for us.
That's a that's kind of aloaded question.
If we could build larger diner,they could be bigger.
Shannon (21:37):
But yeah, so 12 foot diameter is your typical yeah.
David (21:43):
for us, typically, 60 to 62,000 gallons is going to be
our limit.
Shannon (21:47):
Okay, what about vertical tanks under UL?
What are their bigger limits onthe vertical side?
David (21:55):
Yeah, so for the vertical tanks, UL requires that the
minimum diameter of a verticaltank cannot be less than one
quarter of its height.
Additionally, they can exceed50 feet or 60,000 gallons.
Shannon (22:10):
Okay, and then if you want to get bigger than that,
then we just will move over toAPI 653 and it would be a
different kind of construction.
You guys specialize in shopbuilt tanks and so once you get
over a certain size you'rerunning into limitations in the
shop and the standard.
Okay, I got it.
I think I got that.
Hopefully that answersquestions for some of our
(22:30):
clients who are always asking ushow big can they go?
It's important to realize thatthere's regulations for safety
and for construction quality andall these other things in place
to make sure that you've got atank that works the way you
intend it to work, for the careand maintenance of the tanks
once they get them.
I'm sure you guys have dealtwith replacing tanks over the
(22:52):
years.
Do you have any?
Do you have any like bestpractices or helpful hints for a
tank owner to prolong the lifeof their tank?
David (22:59):
Well, I'd say the number one cause to failure is water in
the tank.
So you have to keep the waterout of your tank.
Besides that, it's relativelysimple and basic for the typical
tank owner.
What you're going to be able tosee is obviously the exterior
of your tank.
So if you see nicks, dents,scratches, that sort of thing,
(23:22):
deal with it when you see it,Don't let it fester.
Corrosion is your tank's enemyfor sure.
So you want to take care ofthat stuff immediately.
Shannon (23:31):
And that means taking care of the coating, because
when the coating from a like, ifa coating gets damaged from a
scratch or from whatever, itstarts radiating outward and you
know, five years later Bob'syour uncle.
You've got half the tank sideexposed and corroding.
David (23:47):
Right, exactly, yeah, so you take care of your coatings.
I would do at a minimum annualinspections of the interior of
the vessel, if it's accessible.
Shannon (23:58):
So actually opening it up, looking inside when the fuel
is drawn down?
What would you look for inthere?
David (24:04):
Again, you're looking for any signs of corrosion or algae
growth that would causecorrosion.
If you have an internal lining,then you're looking for any
sorts of holidays or nicks orscratches or missing coating.
Again, you want to deal withthis stuff as quickly as you can
.
Shannon (24:21):
Yep.
Or we also see coatings lift upbecause water's gotten
underneath them and then justyou can start seeing it bubbling
and it looks like zits.
There's just lots and lots oflittle pustules all over the
bottom of the tank.
What kinds of things reallyshorten the life of a tank?
David (24:40):
Well, again, water.
That's the biggest thing, andit really just comes down to
maintenance, just basicmaintenance.
Shannon (24:48):
Water maintenance.
What about keeping the tanklevel or making sure that all
the appurtenances are supported?
David (24:53):
Yeah, I think so that comes back to making sure you're
keeping water out of your tank.
If your appurtenances are notseated correctly, they're not
threaded, you have leaky threads, whatever that's going to
introduce water in your tank.
Especially in the last guy, Iwould see that people would want
to put these water blockfilters on their tanks, which is
(25:13):
a great idea.
But if you're concerned aboutblocking the water coming out of
your tank, I think you would bemore concerned about the water
that's in your tank.
Shannon (25:23):
Yes, but sometimes it's easier for people to block the
water than to do the $100,000project to fix all the vents and
re-level the tank or whatever.
So we see all kinds.
But the long-term proactiveapproach would be to repair
things when they break, maintainyour coatings, prevent
(25:44):
corrosion and actually lookinside your tank often, at least
once a year, in a real lookinside, not peering through the
gauge hatch but actually openingup maybe the manway and taking
a look inside when the product'sdrawn down.
David (25:58):
Right, and I'm sure that there are tests you can do with
the fuel that would tell you ifthere's anything inside that
tank that shouldn't be there.
Shannon (26:06):
Like microbial growth or algae.
Yep, yeah, that's part of it,but they need to be looking at
the internal steel and coatingsand looking for evidence of
water intrusion in there as well, because they may not have
water right now when they'relooking at it, but they might
have had water earlier in theyear when it was a lot rainier.
Okay, okay, those are allreally good suggestions.
(26:30):
Are there any other resourceswe can share with our listeners?
David (26:35):
For sure you would want to look at our website.
There's good information onGreerTankcom, UL website, STI's
website.
Those are all great sources forinformation and certainly go
visit one of our shops and talkto one of our guys.
Shannon (26:51):
Yes, I would love that.
I will take you up on that.
But I think what's really niceabout Greer at least every time
we've interacted with you guysis it really is an open book.
There's a strong desire to helpyou get what you need, and if
you want to go see something orlearn more about it, you guys
are really welcoming and open tothat.
(27:12):
So I appreciate it from our end.
David (27:17):
Absolutely.
I'm sure we're going to be ontour and showing people around
Awesome.
Shannon (27:19):
All right, and then last, do you have any fun tank
facts or fun history to sharewith us?
David (27:27):
Boy, I wish I did.
I sure wish I did.
Shannon (27:30):
Have you ever seen a wooden tank?
David (27:33):
I have not.
I don't think I want to.
Shannon (27:37):
Sounds like you might have I have.
In Adak there are still manywooden tanks.
Some of them were used forwater and some were used for
fuel, and it's not there anymore.
But when I first started goingout to Adak in 2008, there was a
wooden fuel truck.
So it was a fuel truck and ithad an oblong wooden tank on the
(28:00):
back, but it was clearly a fueltruck.
It even had a pump on it.
It was not a water truck, sothey did use them.
I mean wood swells when it'swet, whether it's fuel or water.
David (28:09):
Sure, yeah, the closest thing I've ever seen to that
would be the woodstaves sewerpipe.
Shannon (28:15):
Yep, it's very similar looking.
The stuff I saw had a lot ofmastic on the outside.
It was like they just coated itin tar.
I mean, it was World War II, sothere probably wasn't a whole
lot of steel available, Iimagine.
Sure, yeah, so do what you haveto Yep.
David, thank you so much foryour time today.
(28:36):
I really enjoyed listening towhat you had to say.
I appreciate all the experienceyou brought to the table.
We appreciate you coming on theshow so much.
David (28:44):
Sure, absolutely.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.