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Storage Tanks and

Emission Control
No.

How do pipeline 03

operators manage About Pipelines is a series,

dedicated to sharing the
facts about transmission

emissions from
pipelines in Canada and
their role in Canadians lives.
This information is provided

storage tanks?
by the Canadian Energy
Pipeline Association (CEPA).

1 2 3
DID YOU KNOW? Storage tanks are Pipeline companies Petroleum storage
used by many use storage tanks tanks use innovative
Storage tanks industries, including to temporarily store design features to
milk producers. Even crude oil, gasoline and minimize emissions
Disneyland resort has other petroleum liquids. being released into the
a thermal storage tank! atmosphere.

Committed to
air quality
In Canada, there are
119,000kilometres of With over 70 storage
tanks, the tank farms
transmission pipelines,
in Hardisty are one
transporting both oil and TANK FARMS of Canadas most
natural gas all over the IN SIGHT important liquid
Hardisty, Alberta petroleum storage
country. Often, when liquid
has become an complexes. There are
petroleum products like crude important tank several pipeline
oil and gasoline are in the farm complex companies who
for the pipeline independently own and
process of being transported,
industry. operate tank farms at
they need to be temporarily
this location, including
stored before they safely CEPA members like
reachtheir destination. Enbridge Pipelines,
TransCanada PipeLines
Thats where above ground storage tanks and Inter Pipeline.
come in. These cylindrical structures pop Because liquids can Enbridge, along with
up along the route of an underground evaporate easily, they other industry partners,
pipeline and are designed to safely hold have established an
liquid petroleum products.
must be stored responsibly. ambient air monitoring
network at Hardisty,
CEPA members have more than 250 above
which collects and
ground storage tanks. These tanks and their Designed to protect monitors the air quality
related facilities are approved and regulated Storing petroleum liquids may not seem like an both continuously and
by the National Energy Board (NEB) or the emission-creating action. But it can be an issue via the National Air
appropriate provincial regulator. Tanks are because of the properties of the liquids. Pollution Surveillance
regularly inspected for environmental and Program.
safety reasons. Learn more:
http://bit.ly/1KlH8VW
 About Pipelines

Storage Tanks and Optional

Emission Control Geodesic Dome

BY DESIGN

Optional external
cover
2
In certain areas, some 3
storage tanks have external 1
dome covers to protect
from winds that could
disperse emissions. The
covers also protect the
floating roof from excess
snow and rain. What about
natural gas

1 2 3 storage?
Natural gas is stored
THE COLOUR. Tanks THE ROOF. Storage THE SEALS. The differently than liquid
are often painted tanks have floating floating roof has petroleum products.
white to reduce heat roofs, which sit on primary and Where storage tanks
are above ground, gas
being absorbed by top of the liquid to secondary seal
pipeline operators use
the sun and prevent decrease the amount systems that create
naturally-occurring
the stored liquids of air space in the vapour-tight below-ground storage
from evaporating. tank and prevent barriers between for natural gas. The
evaporation. The the roof and walls industry mainly uses
roof moves up and of the tanks to depleted reservoirs
down as the tank is minimize the release thatonce held the
filled and emptied. of emissions. natural gas that has
been extracted, or
salt caverns, which
are known for their
Petroleum liquids are a mixture of various monitoring the condition of the seals, measuring non-porous and
hydrocarbons. Some of the components very gaps and repairing and replacing seals as waterproof properties.
easily evaporate into the air, even when stored at required.
normal pressure and temperature. Even though tanks are designed and
Theseare commonly known as volatile operated to minimize emissions, some emissions
organic compounds (VOCs). VOC emissions can can escape past the seals into the atmosphere.
cause ozone to form at the ground level, which Companies work with regulators and other
can contribute to smog or haze on warm, sunny industries to manage emissions within defined
days. airsheds. In specific locations, pipeline operators
Because these components tend to use vapour control or recovery systems to avoid
evaporate easily, pipeline operators must store releasing VOCs into the atmosphere. These
and care for theseliquids responsibly. And one of vapour control systemsare highly efficient
GET INFORMED
the primaryways the industry minimizes collecting over 95per cent of vapour emissions.
emissions from being released into the Storage tanks are an important part CEPA
atmosphere isthrough the design of storage of the pipeline industry, and through aboutpipelines@cepa.com
tanks. regulation and the efforts of the industry, @aboutpipelines
storage tanks ensure the petroleum liquid facebook.com/aboutpipelines
Monitored to minimize and recover aboutpipelines.com
products we use every day are consistently
Pipeline operators inspect their storage
available and safely stored.
tanks regularly to monitor them for leaks
and external corrosion. An inspection isdone
www.aboutpipelines.com/en/environmental-protection/
regularly to check the condition of tank vents,
climate-change/storage-tanks/
drains and valves. The inspection includes

Printed on recycled and environmentally-friendly paper. The information contained provides examples of initiatives
carried out by some CEPA members. It is not an industry requirement or best practice.