For owners of above ground process storage tanks, including both atmospheric and pressurised storage systems such as bullets and spheres, tank inspection programmes are normally based around EEMUA 159 and/or API 653. 
According to both of these standards, the purpose of an inspection is to determine if tanks are safe for continued service in terms of their mechanical integrity. To help tank owners comply with ever-increasing stringent regulations, risk-based inspection (RBI) systems and advanced non-destructive testing (ANDT) methods can be used to assess the condition and mechanical integrity of an individual tank or a complete tank farm. This tank-specific RBI approach enables owners to focus their inspection on those assets that have the highest probability of potential problems.
The most effective approach to tank inspection blends the regulatory compliance to current codes & standards with Risk Based Inspection & Advanced Non Destructive Testing methods. The Tank Specific RBI approach allows owners to concentrate inspection on those assets that have the highest probability of potential problems. It also considers the consequences of such a failure. As a result, Out-of-Service inspection of tanks can be recommended that exhibit potential problems, while continuing to operate assets that are in good condition.
The continued operation of healthy tanks, along with large reductions in budget spent on preparing tanks for traditional internal inspections (including cleaning, degassing and waste disposal) provides tank owners with better profitability and improved operational effectiveness.
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