Inside The Tank Farm

Overview

A storage tank may look simple from the outside, but keeping product safely stored and moving through a terminal requires more than a single level measurement.

From inventory monitoring and interface detection to independent overfill protection, each measurement serves a different purpose. Here's a look inside the tank farm at the critical measurements behind safe, reliable midstream storage.

Continuous Level

Know what's in the tank.

Continuous level measurement provides operators with real-time visibility into product level for inventory monitoring, transfers, and day-to-day operations.

Common technologies:

• Non-contact radar
• Guided wave radar
• Magnetic level indication

Use it for: Inventory monitoring, transfer operations, and process control.

Overfill Protection

Protect against what's above the operating range.

A separate high or high-high level switch provides an independent layer of protection when product approaches the tank's maximum allowable level.

Rather than relying solely on the continuous level measurement, an independent point-level device can initiate an alarm or shutdown before an overfill occurs.

Common technologies:

• Point level switches
• Independent high-high level detection

Use it for: High-level alarms, shutdown functions, and overfill protection.

Interface Level

Know where the product ends and the water begins.

Water can collect at the bottom of hydrocarbon storage tanks. Interface measurement helps operators identify the boundary between product and water for more controlled draining and product management.

Common technologies:

• Guided wave radar
• Interface-capable level transmitters

Use it for: Oil/water interface measurement, water bottoms, and dewatering operations.

Local Level Indication

See what's happening at the tank.

Local indication gives operators an immediate visual reference of tank level without relying solely on a control system or remote display.

Magnetic level indicators provide an externally mounted solution with no glass exposed directly to the process.

Common technologies:

• Magnetic level indicators
• External transmitters and switches

Use it for: Operator rounds, local verification, and redundant indication.

Low-Level Protection

Protect what's downstream.

Knowing when a tank is approaching empty can be just as important as knowing when it's full. Low-level detection can help prevent pumps from running dry and provide another layer of protection during transfer operations.

Common technologies:

• Point level switches
• Continuous level transmitters

Use it for: Pump protection, low-level alarms, and transfer control.

Transfer Flow

Know what's moving in and out.

Storage doesn't stop at the tank. Measuring product as it enters and leaves the terminal provides visibility into transfers and helps operators understand what's moving between tanks, pipelines, trucks, and other assets.

Common technologies:

• Coriolis
• Ultrasonic
• Magnetic flow
• Other application-specific flow technologies

Use it for: Tank transfers, loading and unloading, pipeline movement, and flow verification.

One Tank. Multiple Measurements.

The right tank measurement strategy isn't about choosing a single instrument. It's about understanding what needs to be measured, where independent protection is needed, and which technologies fit the application.

TechStar's application specialists can help evaluate tank geometry, product properties, operating conditions, and measurement requirements to build the right solution for your midstream storage application.