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STE 401

Design and Fabrication of Storage Tanks (API 650)

COURSE SCHEDULE

Code Date Location price (€)*
STE 401 31 Aug-4 Sep 2026 Online 3300
STE 401 6 – 9 Oct Dec 2026 Dubai 4400

* Prices are subject to VAT and local terms. Ph.D. students, groups (≥ 3 persons) and early bird registrants (8 weeks in advance) are entitled to a DISCOUNT!

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course provides participants with a comprehensive knowledge of Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs) and their application in oil & gas terminals, petrochemical plants and industrial process areas. The course presents a complete, code-driven approach to the design and fabrication of ASTs in strict accordance with API 650, covering everything from material selection and shell thickness calculations to welding sequences, field erection methods, and hydrostatic testing. Participants will learn how to interpret and apply API 650 requirements for tank shell, bottom plates, fixed and floating roofs, wind girders, anchorage, and seismic design. The training also addresses critical fabrication topics such as distortion control, NDT acceptance criteria, tolerances, and inspection hold points. Through worked examples, case studies, and a final walkthrough on Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration and Reconstruction per API 653, participants will gain practical skills to ensure code compliance and improve tank integrity and durability.

This is a five-day course designed to provide participants with a complete understanding of aboveground storage tank (AST) design and fabrication in compliance with API 650. The course begins with an introduction to API 650 scope, materials selection, corrosion allowance, and welding fundamentals. Afterward, we explore shell thickness calculations using the one-foot and variable point methods, wind girder design, and nozzle reinforcement requirements. This is followed by bottom plate layout, fixed and floating roof design, anchorage for seismic loads, and overturning checks per Appendix C & E. These include presentation of fabrication techniques such as plate rolling, erection methods (jack lifting, air lifting), welding sequences, distortion control, and hydrostatic testing procedures. The last day of the course concentrates on key appendices (A, I, J), QA/QC plans, common fabrication defects and repairs, and a complete design-to-fabrication case study of a 34,000 m³ tank.

COURSE OUTLINE

5 days

INSTRUCTOR

Day 1: Introduction to API 650

Introduction – API 650.
   o Properties and characteristics of petroleum and products in storage
   o Overview of API 650 & Tank Types
   o Storage of flammable liquids - HSE & Risks
   o Fire Fighting & Fire Protection
   o Handling oil spills and emergencies
   o Tank farm layout, secondary containment
Worked Example - Bund Wall Calculations

Day 2: Tank Shell Design Scope, and Materials

Tank Design - API 650.
   o Tank Selection Criteria
   o Design Basis & Load Cases
   o Shell Thickness Calculation (1-Foot Method)
   o Shell Thickness Calculation (Variable Point Method)
   o Shell Manholes & Nozzles, Wind Girders
   o Materials Selection, Corrosion Allowance & Joint Efficiency
Worked Example - Shell Design

Day 3: Bottom, Roof, and Anchorage

API 650 Requirements for Bottom Plates, Fixed/Floating Roofs, and Seismic Anchorage
   o Tank capacity & volume calculations
   o Bottom Plate Design
   o Fixed Roof Design (Cone Roof)
   o Floating Roof Types & Seals
   o Anchorage for Overturning
  o Seismic Design per API 650 Appendix E
   Worked Example – Roof & Anchorage

Day 4: Fabrication, Erection, and Welding

Plate Rolling, Field Methods, Distortion Control, and Hydrostatic Testing
   o Marking, Cutting, and Plate Preparation
   o Shell Plate Rolling & Fit-up
   o Erection Methods (Field vs. Shop Fabrication)
   o Welding and weld inspection
   o Leak Testing & Hydrostatic Testing
   o Tolerances & Inspection During Fabrication
Case Study - Corrosion protection, cathodic protection

Day 5: Inspection, Appendices, and Quality Control

Tank Inspection - API 653
   o Appendix I (Under tank Leak Detection)
   o Appendix J (Stainless Steel Tanks)
   o QA/QC Plan for Tanks - API 653
   o Common Fabrication Defects & Repairs
   o Final Case Study - Tank Failures
   o Open Forum Questions

Petro Teach Instructor

The Instructor holds BSc and PhD degrees from the UK and has over 30 years of experience in refinery technology, operations, and management with major oil companies. He currently works as a Senior Consultant at PetroTeach, specializing in oil and gas, process technology, safety, and environmental management.

He is a Chartered Chemist and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), as well as a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (USA). He previously served as an Approved Safety Inspector at Cyprus Petroleum Refinery Ltd.

He holds honorary academic appointments at several European universities and is involved in research in vacuum distillation, gas recovery, and pyrolysis. He is a team member of the Energy Integration Lab at Huddersfield University and heads the Waste to Plastics effort at a major recycling facility in Cyprus. Since 1996, he has delivered more than 250 professional training courses.

DESIGNED FOR

The course is designed for tank farm and refinery employees/ engineers, petroleum engineers and anyone working in crude oil and/ or product storage facilities, involved in the selection, design, or fabrication of aboveground storage tanks (AST), according to API 650 code requirements. It is also intended for, but not limited to, professionals involved in handling, loading, or discharging of oil and gas cargoes.
The objective of the course is to establish a foundation so that participants are able to interpret key API 650 clauses, perform basic shell and roof thickness calculations, understand welding and erection sequences, identify major fabrication defects, and collaborate effectively with tank designers and fabricators on field projects.

COURSE LEVEL

o   Intermediate to Advance

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, participants will be able to:
  o Calculate shell plate thickness using both the one-foot and variable design point methods per API 650.
   o Design tank bottoms, cone roofs, and wind girders while complying with code requirements for joints, reinforcements, and tolerances.
   o Select appropriate materials based on service conditions, corrosion allowance, and temperature toughness requirements.
   o Apply proper welding sequences and NDT methods and verify weld integrity during fabrication and erection.
   o Evaluate anchorage requirements for wind and seismic loads using API 650 Appendix E procedures.
   o Interpret key appendices (A, I, J) for low-pressure, leak detection, and stainless-steel tank applications.
   o A walkthrough on tank inspection, repair, alteration and reconstruction per API 653

REGISTER

Registration is now OPEN!

* Prices are subject to VAT and local terms. Ph.D. students, groups (≥ 3 persons) and early bird registrants (8 weeks in advance) are entitled to a DISCOUNT!

For more details and registration please send email to: register@petro-teach.com

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