Military

At the tactical Class III supply point, you should always store bulk petroleum in collapsible tanks. If you are in a supply section of a petroleum supply company, you can store up to 420,000 gallons of bulk petroleum (120,000 gallons in the FSSP and 300,000 gallons in the six 50,000-gallon collapsible tanks). But storage is much more than putting product in a tank. It involves such things as inspections, product circulation, tank repair, and even the disposal of excess product. The storage of bulk petroleum can be as dangerous as its receipt and issue, so always follow applicable procedures.

There a number of practices you should always follow when storing bulk petroleum. These practices are listed below.

• Make sure you have a separate handling system for each type of petroleum product you store. Never mix various fuels together, and never mix leaded and unleaded gasoline.
• Install a filter/separator in the supply line between the storage tanks and the dispensing points.
• Do not store your hoses in a way that will bend them sharply over brackets. Do not leave hoses lying on the ground where vehicles may run over them. In addition, put dust caps and plugs on all hoses when they are not in use.
• Drain any water in your collapsible tanks through the drain fitting assembly.
• Clean line strainers and nozzle screens each day. When you remove the screen in a pressure nozzle, first disconnect the adapter. If you find any damaged strainers or screens, repair or replace them at once.
• If you find any particles of rubber or lint in a screen, it may show that the hose is deteriorating. Sediment, scale, or rust in the nozzle screen may show the failure of a filter element.
• Put dust caps on all nozzles when you are not using them. This keeps dust, dirt, and sediment from entering the nozzle spout and contaminating the fuel.
• Run a string across the top of your collapsible tanks so that you do not overfill them. Put the string 4 feet off the ground for 3,000- and 10,000-gallon collapsible tanks. When the top of the tank reaches the string, it means the tank is full.
• Follow the first-in, first-out rule so that products do not deteriorate due to prolonged storage. Issue packaged products in damaged containers first, regardless of age.
• Inspect your facilities and operations regularly. Keep records of inspections, tests, checks, tank cleaning, and maintenance. Follow up on deficiencies to ensure they are corrected.
• Keep equipment records on the items in the supply point. Use DD Form 1970 to record and control the use of equipment when you do not use the equipment logbook for this purpose. Use DA Form 2404 to record inspections and service before, during, and after use of equipment. DA Pamphlet 738-750 has more information on the use and preparation of these records.

Inspections are the key to finding out how well your Class III supply point is performing. They give you firsthand information on how the equipment and products are maintained from day to day. Inspections let you make on-the-spot corrections. They also give you information on the availability of required publications, accuracy of supply records and procedures, supply economy practices, care of tools and equipment, and status of authorized stock levels of equipment and repair parts. Follow the steps below when inspecting your Class III supply point:

• Inspect the collapsible tanks and hoses in your supply point each day for signs of leaks, tears, punctures, unusual wear, and fabric deterioration.
• Inspect the operating equipment in the supply point daily to evaluate operator maintenance and ensure that the equipment is in good working order.
• Inspect fire-fighting equipment and drainage facilities weekly to see that they are in good condition. Make sure that the storage area is free of trash, weeds, or other combustible material.
• Survey the traffic control system often to ensure that traffic is routed efficiently. See that there is no unnecessary equipment in the area to hinder traffic movement or access to fire fighting-equipment.

Filter/separators help you keep the product clean and water-free at the Class III supply point. The steps you should take to keep your filter/separators in good condition are outlined in Chapter 21.

When you consolidate or circulate product, you simply move it from one storage tank in the supply point to another. You should consolidate your stock so that several storage tanks are filled with product and several are empty. This way you can be ready to receive and issue large quantities of bulk petroleum on short notice. You also cut down on the number of tank switches you have to make during receipt and issue. Circulate the stock in your supply point so that the heavier portions of the product do not settle to the bottom of the tank and the light ends do not come to the top. Also, circulation ensures a good mixture of all the additives in the fuel. Step-by-step procedures for consolidating fuel at that FSSP are given below:

• Ensure the equipment in the FSSP is grounded. Then open the manifold valves on the collapsible tank from which you are transferring product.
• Open the suction valve on the 350-GPM pumping assembly and the manifold valves on the collapsible tank that will receive the product. Ensure all the other valves between the two collapsible tanks are open. Make your daily preventive maintenance checks on the pump. Then start the pump, and idle it for three to five minutes.
• Open the discharge valve on the pump, and increase the pump speed to the operating level. Continue pumping this way until you have finished the transfer. Figure 28-3, shows the product moving through the FSSP.
• Idle the pump back for three to five minutes before you shut it off. Close the discharge valve on the pump and the manifold valves on the collapsible tanks while the pump is idling. Then close the suction valve on the pump.

If any of the collapsible tanks develop a leak, repair them at once with emergency repair items. Chapter 12 covers tank repairs.

If you are in CONUS or an overseas activity and you have an excess in bulk or packaged fuels of 500 gallons or more per product grade, report the excess by sending a message to the Commander, USAPC. Include in your message the quantity, location, type of product, NSN, and latest laboratory test results. If you are in an overseas command, also report the excess to the appropriate DFSC field office or the JPO.

Issuing bulk petroleum is perhaps the most important responsibility you have at the Class III supply point. The reason you are in the field is to get large quantities of petroleum to the units you support. In the theater of operations, you issue liquid petroleum in bulk as far forward as the tactical situation permits. Usually the units you support pick up bulk petroleum from the supply point in their own vehicles. When you use the FSSP, make your bulk issues from the bottom loading points. Step-by-step procedures for issuing bulk petroleum to tank vehicles and tank cars are discussed in this section.

There are a number of preliminary steps you should take before issuing bulk petroleum from your Class III supply point. These steps are discussed below.

Prepare an issue schedule before any transporter arrives at the supply point. Start by telling your customer how much and what type of product you have on hand. Then tell him when he can pick up product at the supply point. If your transporters are delivering the product, tell the customer when it will arrive at his supply point. Try to avoid delays and interruptions when you are scheduling issues. In other words, do not have more transporters at your supply point than you can handle at one time. Also, ensure you have enough product on hand to fill all your orders.

Ensure that the discharging equipment in the supply point is in good working condition. Inspect your pumps, filter/separators, collapsible tanks, hose manifolds, valves, and fittings daily to see that they are free of leaks and contaminations.

When the transporter arrives at the supply point, check the customer’s issue request to ensure it is properly authorized. Then position the transporter at an issue point.

Open the manhole or dome cover to inspect the transporter. As part of your inspection, do the following:

• Check the inside and outside of the tank for holes, cracks, or loose plates. Ensure there are no leaks in the tank. See that the tank is properly mounted to the frame and safe for the road.
• Inspect the inside of the tank to see if it is clean. If you see a residue on the bottom of the tank such as rust, sand, or dirt, reject the transporter and have it cleaned according to directions in Chapter 13. Let only authorized personnel, familiar with tank-cleaning procedures and safeguards, enter the tank.
• Check the interior of the tank for foreign objects such as tools, bolts, or old seals. Have authorized personnel remove objects from the tank. Some objects do not contaminate the product, but they may damage valves. Also, look for residual product in the tank. If you see any, remove it before you fill the tank.
• Inspect the fuel delivery system of the transporter for damage. On tank cars, check the dome, dome cover, bottom outlet chamber, and safety valve to ensure they are in good condition. See that the vent holes in the dome cover are open and free of dirt.
• Ensure the tank car outlet valve seats and seals properly. To do this, first place a drainage tub under the bottom outlet chamber. Then open and close the outlet valve several times by working the valve rod handle or handwheel located inside the dome. If the valve does not seat properly, reject the car and report the malfunction to the local transportation officer who will schedule the repair. However, you may load the tank car in an emergency without repairing the valve, but report the broken valve to the unit receiving the tank car so that they can unload it through the dome. In any case, the tank car should be scheduled for repair as soon as possible. Ensure the outlet valve is closed after you have checked it.
• Ensure the product last carried in the tank is the same as the product you are going to put in it. If it is not, follow the procedures in MIL-HDBK-200. If you think it is necessary, flush the tank of the transporter with a small amount of product to remove any traces of the last product as well as rust and scale. Then collect this product and put it in a waste container. Appendix K has a conversion chart for procedures that should be followed when changing products in tank cars and tank trucks.

Bulk petroleum can be issued to tank vehicles from your Class III supply point. Before you start, look over the applicable safety precautions and the preliminary procedures previously described. See the appropriate TM for detailed information on the operation of tank vehicles. Follow the steps below to issue bulk petroleum to tank vehicles from your Class III supply point:

• Ensure the vehicle and all issue equipment are bonded and grounded. Place a fire extinguisher at the issue point and a drainage tub under the receiving manifold of the tank vehicle.
• Connect the discharge hose to the receiving port of the tank vehicle. If the vehicle does not have an automatic shutoff, assign someone to the top of the tank body to watch the product as it comes into the tank so that you do not overfill the vehicle.
• Make your preventive maintenance checks on the 350-GPM pump. Open the receiving valves on the tank vehicle and the manifold valves on the collapsible tank supplying the product. Ensure all the other valves between the collapsible tank and the tank vehicle are open. Then open the suction valve on the 350-GPM pumping assembly. Start the pump, and idle it for three to five minutes.
• Open the discharge valve on the pump, and increase its speed to operating speed. Pump at this rate until the tank vehicle is about three-fourths full. Then reduce the speed of the pump, and finish filling the tank at this rate. Figure 28-4, shows the product moving through the FSSP and into the tank vehicle.
• Idle the pump back for about three to five minutes when you have filled the tank and before you shut it off.
• Quickly turn off the system. Start by closing the pump discharge valve and the tank vehicle receiving valve. Then close the manifold valves on the collapsible tank and the suction valve on the pump. The last step is to uncouple the discharge hose from the tank vehicle.
• Close the manhole cover, and move the vehicle to the designated area.
• Let the product stand for about 15 minutes so that suspended water or sediment can fall to the bottom of the tank. Then measure and sample the product in the transporter. Gage the tank, make an API gravity test, and take the temperature of the product. Then correct the volume to 60° F, and record the data. Take a sample, and examine it for color and appearance.
• Close the manhole covers, and remove the drainage tub. Then disconnect the bonding and grounding equipment.

Always load a tank car through the bottom outlet unless the bottom outlet is broken or you do not have the adapter fittings you need. When this is the case, load the tank through the dome. Loading through the bottom outlet is by far the better way because it prevents vapor loss, reduces static electricity, and protects the fuel against contamination from outside sources. Before you start loading, take the appropriate safety precautions and perform the necessary preliminary procedures. Then follow the steps in Chapter 12.

Tank cars should be loaded through the dome only when bottom loading is not possible. Top loading must be approved by the first commander in line. The procedures for loading a tank car through the dome are almost the same as those for loading through the bottom outlet. You operate the pump in the same way and perform the same preliminary, safety, and follow-up procedures. The only difference is that you place the discharge hose in the dome instead of connecting it to the bottom outlet. Follow the steps in Chapter 12.