The Task
LCM’s client this case study focuses on is a leading facilities management company, working for a major national utility provider. Their role is critical for connecting millions to the energy they use – and the site’s backup power generators were fuelled off three fuel tanks (all containing gas oil) which need regular check-ups and maintenance.
To minimise the risks of a power outage and business downtime, companies in the critical sectors are advised to have their generator fuel sampled at least once a year and their tanks inspected every 12-18 months.
Therefore, we were called to the site to sample and filter the red diesel and perform tank clean and NTD testing, as well as to install some new flanges on the tanks for additional pipework requirements.
Our team of multiskilled engineers braved typical spring weather, including hail, rain and high winds during the works whilst adhering to strict third-party health and safety regulations on-site.
Works were completed on schedule and to the highest of standards, a credit to all the LCM team involved in this project.
Scope of Works
This major national utilities providing customer had three Gas Oil Tanks that needed fuel quality and tank maintenance.
Our experienced engineers arrived on site to complete site inductions, permits and security checks. They then set up the safe working area as agreed upon by the client’s traffic management plan.
The tanks were located in underground bunkers across 2 locations on site. This initially caused access issues for the team, as we were unable to work on the separate locations without escorts.
We began the preparations for the fuel uplift by removing the stone flagging in order to expose the tank hatch at the first location. After gaining access to the tanks by removing the manway lids, the remaining fuel was uplifted onboard our ADR-rated tankers and held there. In the meantime, the LCM confined space engineers undertook a man-entry tank cleaning.
Whilst In the tanks, we were asked to perform NDT testing to determine the thickness of the tank plate due to the conditions found upon entry.
Our engineers then drilled and tapped the tanks to install new flanges allowing future pipework alterations to be undertaken at the client’s request.
Our OFTEC-trained engineers uplifted a total of 71,000 litres of red diesel (gasoil) from all three customer tanks.
We strategically kept the fuel near the tanks in our ADR-rated tankers in case of power shortage whilst works were ongoing. This is standard practice in LCM when working with companies in the critical sector: we pre-empt the disturbances in the client’s power chain that our work could cause. This allows us to act accordingly if there was an urgent need to put the client’s fuel back in the containers to protect our client’s essential function.
The gasoil was then run through our filtration rig, which brought the fuel back to within ISO4406 specification before it was returned to the fuel tanks.
The Outcome
The tank inspection revealed that the tanks were all in good working order. The newly polished fuel was returned to the storage vessels via their respective fill points. The new flanges were installed for any future pipework plans.
All certification was issued to the client on-site with a further report following up with recommendations and evidence of a job that’s been expertly completed by LCM!
Our client was then informed about their options for carbon offsetting and switching to HVO+ fuel, which they are currently considering as part of their own net-zero initiative.
Overall, despite some of the challenges the LCM team faced in this job as a national utility provider, we’re proud to serve such prominent and critically important clients on a regular basis!
