Topic outline

  • Leak Detection Methods for Petroleum Storage Tanks

    Credits: 3 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    As of December 1993, all petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs) must have adequate leak detection in place.

    This course provides information about the following methods that EPA has identified for UST owners and operators to use to meet federal leak detection requirements:
    1) Secondary containment with interstitial monitoring,
    2) Automatic tank gauging systems (including continuous ATG systems),
    3) Vapor monitoring (including tracer compound analysis),
    4) Groundwater monitoring,
    5) Statistical inventory reconciliation,
    6) Other methods meeting performance standards.

    In this course, you need to review the material in the course content file, which is composed of technology fact sheets for the 36 advanced technologies described above. These fact sheets are part of the report, "Environmental Benefits of Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Technology," put out by U.S. DOE in 2000. Once you complete your course review, you need to take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of thirty-five (35) questions to earn 7 PDH credits. The quiz will be based on the material in the course content file.

    Topics:

    At the conclusion of this course, the student will be familiar with:
    • general Federal leak detection requirements for petroleum underground storage tanks and piping.
    • secondary containment with interstitial monitoring, as a method for meeting federal petroleum UST leak detection requirements.
    • automatic tank gauging (including continuous ATG systems), as a method for meeting federal petroleum UST leak detection requirements.
    • vapor monitoring (including tracer compound analysis), as a method for meeting federal petroleum UST leak detection requirements.
    • groundwater monitoring, as a method for meeting federal petroleum UST leak detection requirements.
    • statistical inventory reconciliation, as a method for meeting federal petroleum UST leak detection requirements.
    • performance standards needed for other methods in order to use one of them for meeting federal petroleum UST leak detection requirements.
    • federal leak detections requirements for underground piping and with methods for meeting those requirements.

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course: Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
         NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.

    Print the Certificate of Completion


    Intended Audience: for petroleum engineers, chemical engineers, geotechnical engineers environmental engineers, and civil engineers. An attendee of this course will gain knowledge about the above six EPA identified methods for meeting federal UST leak detection requirements.
    Publication Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

    Donald Parnell, PE
    • Topic 1