A tank farm is a storage facility for petroleum products, often located near refineries, ports, and major transportation hubs. It may be owned by a single company or managed by a group. Safety measures are necessary due to the fire risk, and tanks can hold a variety of fuels. Small tank depots may be set up at transit facilities for convenience.
A tank farm is a facility where petroleum products are stored before being dispensed to end consumers or retail facilities. People may also use the term “oil depot” to refer to a tank farm. Some farms are owned by a single company which uses the farm to supply its own needs, while others are managed by a group. It is also possible for facilities to have their own tank depots for the purpose of storing fuel on site, with airports being a classic example of a facility that needs to have plenty of fuel on hand.
The structures of a tank farm are generally very simple. Tanks can be above ground or in-ground, with plumbing so that the tanks can be connected to cisterns and pipelines for the purpose of delivering fuel and filling the tanks. Many tank depots are located near refineries, ports, rail yards, and major trucking terminals, for convenience. These locations make it easier to move fuel on and off the farm. A tank farm may also be located along a pipeline used to transport petroleum products. The business may also have facilities to store delivery trucks, as seen when a business that sells natural gas or propane to the public makes deliveries to home tanks.
Some safety structures are required in a tank farm, as farming poses a significant fire risk. Someone could target the farm for sabotage or terrorism, causing a large fire and potentially endangering the fuel supply if the farm is large. People also want to avoid accidents in tank farms that could lead to accidental fuel release, explosions, fires and other problems. Guards are usually posted on site and the site is locked down and regularly inspected to confirm that all systems are functioning as they should.
Companies that sell fuel to gas stations store fuel in fuel depots, regularly sending delivery trucks to fill the storage tanks at the gas station. Tank farms can hold a blend of fuels, including gasoline of various octane ratings and diesel, along with fuels such as propane and natural gas. Each tank is clearly labeled to indicate contents and provide safety information.
Small tank depots are sometimes set up at bus yards and other transit facilities to refuel vehicles. This eliminates the need to purchase fuel commercially and allows maintenance crews to manage maintenance tasks in one convenient location.
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