Pipeline Safety: Breakout Tank Inspection Rule

Official abstract: Breakout tanks are used to "relieve surges in a hazardous liquid pipeline system" or to "receive and store hazardous liquid transported by a pipeline for reinjection and continued transportation by pipeline." American Petroleum Institute Standard 653 (API Std 653) sets industry standards for the inspection, repair, alteration, and reconstruction of aboveground storage tanks. PHMSA currently incorporates the 3rd edition of API Std 653 (issued December 2001) by reference into its regulations for breakout tanks. In this rulemaking, PHMSA is proposing to update its regulations for breakout tanks to incorporate the 5th edition of API Std 653 (issued November 2014) by reference. As a key part of this, PHMSA is proposing to authorize the use of risk-based inspection (RBI) procedures for establishing the inspection intervals of in-service breakout tanks.