Chopped fibre, a forgotten pearl

15 years after the pilot project with chopped fibre on a tank bottom at the Shell Europoort Terminal, Van der Ende has applied this technique again, to the bottom of a 48.8 diameter tank at the BP Europoort Refinery.
Using this reliable and efficient solution for heavily corroded tank bottoms, which normally are replaced by new tank bottoms, in a short time, the safe service life of the tank can be extended for at least 10 years.

The replacement of a bottom is a costly and time-consuming process. Time that’s deducted from the operational availability of the storage tank.

The tank at BP went from off-line to on-line in less than 6 weeks, being made suitable once again for non-stop operation for at least 10 years. Replacement of the tank bottom would have certainly involved an off-line situation for a period of six months. Valuable time in which no money is earned.

In specific cases it may be interesting to opt for operational availability in the medium term
(about 10 years). BP made this strategic decision in a time where cost savings are a choice.