20 • OIL
&
ENERGY
Fuel Storage
Industry’s Approach on Tanks Is Much Improved
NORA program helps companies avoid excess liability from spills and tank ruptures
By John Levey, Oilheat Associates
WE’VE COME A LONG WAY!
In 2003 the National Oilheat Research
Alliance (NORA) embarked on a program
to assure that fuel oil storage tank systems
were properly installed and maintained.
The program was developed in conjunction
with the Institute for Business and Home
Safety (IBHS). IBHS is an organization
of insurers and reinsurers that conducts
research to identify and promote effective
actions that strengthen homes against
various causes of loss.
The NORA/IBHS “partnership” led to
the formalization of NORA’s Advanced
Oil Tank Program including the textbook
Fuel Oil Storage Tanks, Guide for Quality
Installation and Maintenance
, as well as
several videos and a full-day seminar.
Some in our industry questioned the
need for NORA to get involved in the
project, but let’s be serious: Our industry
doesn’t exist without tanks. And once NORA
got involved, many people felt that we did
a fairly good job of minimizing insurance
claims (and customer inconveniences) due
to oil tanks.
The picture above became the rallying
point of the program. When it was shown
to those attending sessions of NORA’s
tank seminar, most participants said their
companies would not consider delivering
to a tank as precariously located as this
one. Unfortunately the tank was in service
when the picture was taken, so someone
was delivering to it. Thankfully, it seems
like the industry as a whole has updated
its standards, and we haven’t found anyone
who would deliver to this tank today.
BETTER TANKS AND INSTALLATIONS
During its tenure, NORA has worked
closely with tank manufacturers, Under-
writers Laboratories (UL) and the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to
improve the quality of tanks and their
installation procedures.
One of the most obvious changes we’ve
seen is that tank warranties have been
extended from the standard one-to-three-
year warranty available on most tanks in
the 1990s. Today we have warranties of 10,
20 and 30 years available, and some tanks
include insurance to cover oil spills.
We’ve also noticed an increase in the
number of “premium” tanks that are being
installed. These tanks are the double-wall
polyethylene/steel tanks; coated steel tanks;
double bottom steel tanks; single- and
double-wall fiberglass aboveground tanks;
etc. It is very encouraging to see that, as an
industry, we’re explaining the advantages
of these tanks and helping our customers
choose upgraded equipment in many situ-
ations.
Another change we’ve noticed is that
more and more companies are following
NORA guidelines regarding tank inspec-
tions. These companies closely follow
NORA’s recommendations regarding each
of the following.
• Initial inspections:
Performed before a
company delivers to a new tank or to a
new customer for the first time. These
comprehensive inspections include the
tank, oil lines, filters, fittings, etc. Before
NORA recommendations were released
many companies simply took a call from
a customer looking for a delivery and
sent a truck out to make the delivery
without checking on the condition of
the tank. In some cases, the customer’s
previous oil supplier had refused to
continue making deliveries because the
tank was in bad shape. The new company
making the delivery then got stuck with
the liability when a spill occurred.
• Routine inspections:
NORA recom-
mends that routine inspections be
performed during each tune-up, or
anytime that more than 12 months has
passed since the previous inspection.
These inspections don’t take long –
basically the technician makes sure
that nothing has changed since the last
inspection that could compromise the
safety of the system.
• Pre-delivery inspections:
These
inspections are limited to what the oil
driver can see from the delivery point.
The driver is not expected to go into
the house to look at the tank, oil lines,
etc. Rather, this inspection is intended
for the driver to make sure he or she
is at the right house and the right fill,
that the outside tank is in good shape,
that the fill and vent pipes and caps are
satisfactory, etc. In addition, NORA’s
no whistle – no fill recommendations
are emphasized in the written instruc-
tions for this level of inspection.
Overall, the companies that have fol-
lowed these guidelines report that they
The NFPA-31 Committee might
Update the Fire Code to require
that tanks be tied down so they
do not float away in floods.
