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Aboveground Storage Tanks:

Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs) are tanks or other containers that are aboveground, partially buried, bunkered, or in a subterranean vault. These can include floating fuel systems. The majority of storage tanks contain petroleum products. They may also be used to store hazardous waste or other hazardous material. Oil storage facilities with ASTs are typically found in market terminals, refineries, and fuel distribution centers, also known as fuel tank farms. Storage tanks may also be found in airports, school bus barns, hospitals, automotive repair shops, military bases, farms, and industrial plants.

ASTs used for storing petroleum products are regulated primarily under 40 CFR 112 – Oil Pollution Prevention. The regulation does not actually use the terms "aboveground storage tank." Instead the term "bulk storage container" is used and is defined as "any container used to store oil. These containers are used for purposes including, but not limited to, the storage of oil prior to use, while being used, or prior to further distribution in commerce. Oil-filled electrical, operating, or manufacturing equipment is not a bulk storage container."

A bulk storage container is 55 gallons or greater and may be aboveground, partially buried, bunkered, or completely buried. "Bunkered tanks" are defined as "a container constructed or placed in the ground by cutting the earth and re-covering the container in a manner that breaks the surrounding natural grade, or that lies above grade, and is covered with earth, sand, gravel, asphalt, or other material." A bunkered tank is considered an aboveground storage container for purposes of 40 CFR 112.

Discharges of chemicals, petroleum, or non-petroleum oil from storage tanks can contaminate source water. Product spills, leaked or lost from storage tanks may accumulate in soils or be carried away in storm runoff.

The Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) regulations require owners or operators of certain aboveground oil storage facilities to prepare and comply with written, site-specific, spill prevention plans (see 40 CFR Part 112):

• facilities with a total above ground oil storage capacity of more than 1,320 gallons;
  
  
• single above ground tanks with an oil storage capacity of more than 660 gallons; and
  
  
• facilities with a combined underground oil storage capacity greater than 42,000 gallons.

An SPCC plan must follow the sequence outlined in 40 CFR 112 beginning with Section 112.7(a).

State AST regulations may be more stringent or differ in other ways from the Federal requirements. You must check with local regulatory authorities to make sure which ASTs are subject to what requirements. All AST facility owners or operators exempt from these regulations should still consider implementing the prevention measures to preclude storage tank problems.

ASTs should

• have a secondary containment area that contains spills and allows leaks to be more easily detected;
  
  
• be routinely monitored to ensure they are not leaking;
  
  
• have corrosion protection for the tank; and
  
  
• have underground piping to the tank that is double-walled or located above ground or cathodically protected.

Hazardous Materials Storage in ASTs
Depending on the type and amount of hazardous materials (i.e., gasoline, diesel fuel, other liquids) stored and/or used at the facility, EPA reporting requirements may apply. The regulatory impacts of hazardous materials being stored and/or used at facilities are outlined in the Laboratories -> Hazardous Materials Storage section of the Facility Regulatory Tour.


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Last updated: July 10, 2015