Print copies of the Petroleum Equipment Institute’s Recommended Practices for theInspection and Maintenance of Underground Storage Tank Systems (PEI/RP900) are now available for purchase. This latest Recommended Practices document was produced by the Petroleum Equipment Institute’s (PEI) Underground Storage Tank (UST) System Inspection and Maintenance Committee and is intended to provide a basic reference that consolidates information concerning the proper inspection and maintenance of UST equipment. Printed copies of this 34-page document can be purchased on PEI’s Web site at www.pei.org/rp900 or by contacting PEI by phone. Single copies can be purchased for $40 by PEI members and $95 by non-members.

The recommended practices apply to USTs and associated equipment intended to store and dispense gasoline, diesel and related petroleum products at vehicle-fueling facilities. The equipment covered includes all below-grade, liquid- and vapor-handling components accessible from grade over or near the top of the storage tank. The information contained in the Inspection and Maintenance of Underground Storage Tank Systems draft has been assembled from published and unpublished sources provided by equipment manufacturers, installers and end-users. The intent is to provide guidance to facility owners on how to properly inspect and maintain UST systems by describing recommended practices that promote proper inspection, operation and maintenance of underground storage systems; enhance the longevity and trouble-free performance of underground storage tank equipment; promote fire prevention and storage system safety; promote protection of human health and the environment; promote regulatory compliance and reduce liability associated with the operation of underground storage systems; and promote early identification of potential problems with equipment.

Over the years, USTs have evolved from simple steel cylinders with a few piping connections to carefully engineered tanks with a number of electronically controlled, electrically operated and mechanically sophisticated components. For a modern UST system to operate successfully and safely, numerous components from a variety of manufacturers must be properly installed, inspected and maintained.

The increased sophistication of underground storage systems has largely resulted from the increasing awareness of the environmental contamination often associated with these systems, and the increasingly large throughputs common at today’s retail fuel outlets. Due to these factors, it is no longer acceptable to simply bury a storage tank and forget it. Constant vigilance with regard to detecting leaks and anticipating operational problems are hallmarks of today’s successful storage system operators. PEI is committed to providing these operators with the information needed to be successful.

The recommended practices are the consensus recommendations of the PEI UST Inspection and Maintenance Committee. The Committee is made up of representatives from petroleum-marketing, equipment-manufacturing, service and installation contracting companies, as well as regulatory agencies.

The Committee includes:

Serving as consultant to the committee was Marcel Moreau, P.O.E., Marcel Moreau Associates.

For additional information on PEI or its membership, please contact Tena Wooldridge or visit www.pei.org. The PEI logo is a registered trademark of the Petroleum Equipment Institute.

PEI is the international trade association for distributors, manufacturers and installers of equipment used in petroleum-marketing and liquid-handling operations. Users of the equipment include service station and convenience-store owners, terminals, bulk plants and airport refueling operations. PEI is comprised of more than 1,600 companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of equipment used in petroleum marketing operations. Members are located in 50 states and 81 countries. The Institute's headquarters are located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.