Project #698: Design, Fabrication, and Erection of Tanks with Short Schedule

Project Overview

The project involved designing, fabricating, and erecting five API 650 vertical flat-bottomed fuel tanks. T BAILEY LLC applied primer to the tanks before shipping, but was not responsible for the top coatings. While all tanks were large, one was slightly smaller than the others, standing 56 feet tall with a diameter of 135 feet. The remaining five were 64 feet tall with a diameter of 175 feet, each designed to store approximately 11 million gallons of fuel.

Project manager Mike Jansma commented, “It was the biggest job we’ve ever bid in terms of value,” noting that while the design work was completed relatively quickly, a week or two, the detailed drawings required significantly more time. Initial fabrication occurred at T BAILEY, LLC’s state-of-the-art 125,000-square-foot facility in Anacortes, Washington. Given the tanks’ size, the materials were shipped to Hawaii in stages. Concurrently, contractors worked on-site to prepare the foundations for the tanks.

Mike explained, “All the foundation work was happening while we began receiving steel from the mill and processing it for the tank floors and shells in a specific sequence.” This meticulous sequencing was vital for the project’s success.

Field Construction

The critical timeline necessitated the completion of foundation work by the end of January 2023. A crew of about 40 started on-site work in mid-November, pouring a foundation roughly every 10 days. They drilled 3” 18-foot deep holes for the ring wall under each tank, followed by backfilling and compaction. A liner was installed inside the foundation two feet from the top, requiring welding and testing. Additionally, a low-voltage cathodic protection was installed to prevent corrosion of the tank floors.

Besides the foundation crews, approximately 50 boilermakers were on-site at any given time, with a total of 102 hired throughout the six-month on-site tank erection phase, highlighting the project’s scale. Quality control was crucial, with around four third-party inspectors, mostly from Houston, alongside two inspectors hired by the client.

Our Services At Work & the Challenges Faced

The client’s project entailed working seven days a week, ten hours a day. The project required steel stronger than the standard ASTM A36 steel typically used in the industry. The team faced a tight schedule, and safety practice issues led to delays. Inclement weather added to the challenges, as did a major design change requested by the client mid-project.

Steel Specification and Design Requirements

The tanks were to be fabricated from a material much stronger than the industry-standard ASTM A36 steel, necessitating the construction of tanks in eight-foot-tall sections. Nozzles installed in the first section required heat treatment in the Washington shop due to their size.

Mike provided insight into the fabrication process: “We were fabricating these 10-foot-long sections that were also 10 feet tall, each fitted with multiple nozzles. To manage the material’s properties, we brought in specialists who wrapped the steel in insulation and heated it to 1,500 degrees. Heating is crucial because, while the steel is stressed when welded, the heat treatment relieves the stress due to the welding. However, this process introduced a significant challenge: transporting these large, nozzle-equipped sections to Hawaii was a complex undertaking due to their size and the protruding nozzles.”

This additional information highlights the complexity of the fabrication process and the specialized steps taken to ensure the structural integrity of the steel, further illustrating the project’s challenges.

The Site

The construction site was located on a coral base, which, while being a very hard surface, presented unique challenges. During excavation, the team encountered voids within the coral, resulting in an uneven surface that required stabilization. To address this, voids were filled to ensure a solid foundation for the tanks. However, as the drilling for the foundations proceeded, more voids were discovered, necessitating additional grouting and raising concerns about potential project delays due to these unforeseen site conditions.

Inclement Weather

In Hawaii’s winter season, the team contended with severe weather conditions, which, per safety codes, halted outdoor welding activities. When it wasn’t raining, strong winds created challenging welding conditions, necessitating the construction of shelters and shields for the welding team.

An unexpected issue arose after three months of working on the coral substrate; it turned into fine dust. This dust, whipped up by the wind, created hazardous conditions. Additionally, a scheduled barge delivery was delayed by two weeks due to Pacific storms, causing a significant setback in material availability and project progression.

Design Change

A significant project hurdle emerged from a design alteration requested by the client concerning the tanks’ floating roofs. This change necessitated a return to the drawing board. T BAILEY LLC rose to the occasion and successfully managed to design, purchase, and install the additional items required for the floating roof.

These additions provide a comprehensive view of the challenges faced by T BAILEY LLC during the project, detailing the impact of weather conditions, safety challenges, and design changes on the project’s execution.

The Outcome

Despite facing numerous obstacles, T BAILEY LLC remained resolute and continued to push forward with determination. Throughout the project, the team held ten meetings to reflect on their successes, identify areas for improvement, and discuss lessons learned.

Although the project did not meet the initial deadline of May 31, 2023, it was completed by July 30, ahead of the Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA) expected delivery date of August 28.

In the project’s final stages, the DLA director commended T BAILEY LLC for the exceptional quality of their work, noting that the client was on track to fulfill all requirements within the stipulated time frame. This acknowledgment underscores the project’s overall success and the high standards upheld by T BAILEY LLC in their work.

T BAILEY LLC’s commitment to excellence in industrial contracting, particularly in construction and heavy steel plate and structural fabrication, is evident in the successful completion of this challenging project.