Oil and gas refining and production, chemical manufacturing, and petrochemical industries are among the industries where oil tanks play a crucial role. Fiberglass tanks are second to none when it comes to safe, durable, and reliable storage solutions for industrial use.
Fiberglass oil tanks are specially crafted to keep highly combustible and corrosive liquids such as biodiesel fuels, ultra-slow sulfur diesel, ethanol-blended fuels, and petroleum products safe.
While oil tanks made of steel are inexpensive, fiberglass options are tougher and more durable. These tanks are manufactured using reinforced plastic composed of a woven material embedded with glass fibers laid across one another and held together with a binding substance. They’re resistant to leakage, rust, corrosion, and sediment—and cost-effective in the long run.
Fiberglass oil tanks are available in both above-ground and underground options, making them a great alternative to their stainless steel counterparts. Reputable manufacturers comply with stringent industry protocols to ensure safety, longevity, and high performance.
Technological advancements are enabling the improvement of these vessels with better features and designs. Find out all you need to know about fiberglass solutions in this guide by experts at CNPS.
What are Fiberglass Oil Tanks?
Fiberglass fuel tanks are large vessels used to meet storage demands in diverse industries. They’re manufactured from polyester resins strengthened with glass fiber to be installed beneath or above the ground.
Fiberglass solutions are feasible for all sorts of pressures, temperatures, and mediums. Their ease of installation and ability to withstand heat, harsh weather, and extreme environmental conditions make fiberglass oil tanks an ideal choice for mining, chemical, energy, marine, fuel handling, and oil and gas.
How is Fiberglass a Better Choice Than Steel?
Steel is an incredibly common material used in building and manufacturing applications because of its tensile strength. However, fiberglass solutions significantly outperform steel because of their greater strength-to-weight ratio, high-pressure resistance, durability, and resistance to heat, corrosion, and impact.
Fiberglass is stronger but is a quarter the weight of steel. Initially, the investment costs more, but in the long run, the benefits, strength, durability, and duty life make it a more economical and efficient solution.
Fiberglass solutions are more versatile because they’re flexible. They’re highly prevalent in offshore drilling platforms because there’s no risk of electrical shock or corrosion from saltwater. Fiberglass solutions are also easier to replace and repair than their steel counterparts. Let’s educate ourselves with a few more reasons companies in the oil and gas sector are increasingly choosing fiberglass tanks and other fiberglass solutions.
Insulation
Fiberglass offers optimum thermal and electric insulation, which is why it’s often used in heating and cooling systems, pipes, tanks, and other components that pose the risk of electric shocks or hazards caused by drastic temperature changes. The non-conductivity of fiber solutions helps minimize the complexity of earthing, ensures safety, and enhances the functionality and energy efficiency of tanks.
Resistance
Fiberglass is a highly flexible material that can be molded to maintain different properties. Studies reveal that the inherent non-corrosive nature of fiberglass makes it feasible for oil tanks as it eliminates the possibility of rust or corrosion on the tank’s wall surfaces and provides protection against leakages.
Its incombustible and highly tensile nature offers the ultimate vibration resistance, helping ensure the mechanical vibrations or winds don’t hinder operations. Moreover, the material is chemical resistant, enabling it to withstand aggressive liquids and chemicals. Resistance to UV rays further means the material is durable and safe for outdoor and harsh environments or applications.
Fuel Compatibility
Fiberglass pipe systems and tanks give you the same strength as steel or aluminum but for way less density. These fuel tanks have unique fuel compatibility, while the same cannot be said about alloy or steel tanks.
If you streamline them from a reputable oil and gas equipment supplier, you can get units that are UL-listed and UL-tested, which means they’re compatible with different fuels, making them ideal for storage. Some models come with a secondary containment feature to capture the entire contents of the tank safely in case there’s an abrupt spill or leakage caused by acids or chemicals.
However, this isn’t something to worry about because the occurrence of spillages is rare. The low installation cost, ease of maintenance, and superior flow of lightweight fiberglass solutions make it a much better option than aluminum or steel.
Choose Safety, Choose CNPS’s Advanced Fiberglass Solutions!
Looking for reliable non-metallic solutions? Get in touch with CNPS to learn more about our fiberglass-reinforced pipes, fiberglass tank solutions, and other fiber and fiberglass products.
Ever since we started working in 2008, we’ve helped numerous residential, commercial, and industrial clients streamline a range of oil and gas equipment solutions. These include EOR technology solutions, oil country tubular goods equipment, mud logging equipment, composite pipes, cement equipment, and oilfield service equipment, among others.
We’re also a proud market leader for electronic equipment solutions, like TV and mobile accessories, and new material solutions.
As a reputable energy solutions provider, you can also consult us for sustainable energy solutions, including geothermal solutions and onshore and offshore wind power equipment, among others.
