ABOVEGROUND WELDED STEEL STORAGE TANKS

(HIGH-STRENGTH STEELS)
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
MARCH 1993 PAGE 1 OF 4 EGE 14-B-2 1993
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Scope 5. Materials
2. References 6. Welding and Weld Inspection
3. General 6.1 Welding
4. Design 6.2 Weld Inspection
4.1 Bottom 7. Erection
4.2 Shell Openings and Attachments 8. Coatings
1. SCOPE
This Guide defines requirements for the design and fabrication of components of aboveground, welded,
vertical, cylindrical atmospheric storage tanks fabricated of steels having minimum specified yield strengths
of 262 MPa (38,000 psi) and greater.
2. REFERENCES
The following publications form a part of this Guide. Unless otherwise specified herein, use the latest
edition.
Mobil Engineering Guides
EGE 14-B-1 Aboveground Welded Steel Storage Tanks (Low-Strength Steel and Stainless Steel) Design and
Construction
EGE 35-B-2 Painting Coating and Lining of Storage Tanks
API (American Petroleum Institute) Standard
Std 650 Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage
3. GENERAL
3.1 The references and requirements of EGE 14-B-1 shall apply to this Guide except as amended herein.
3.2 For tanks where not all of the shell courses are of high-strength steel, as defined in Section 1, Scope,
this Guide only applies to the high strength steel courses.
4. DESIGN
4.1 Bottom
4.1.1 The annular bottom plate to which the shell course is welded shall be a minimum thickness of 9
mm (3/8 in.) plus a corrosion allowance.
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EGE 14-B-2 1993 PAGE 2 OF 4 MARCH 1993
4.1.2 The welds attaching the floorplate to the annular bottom plate shall be made with a minimum of
two passes.
4.2 Shell Openings and Attachments
4.2.1 All shell opening connections shall be attached by full-penetration welds to the shell, including
attachments to insert-type reinforcement.
4.2.2 Attachments shall be designed so that the primary bending stress in the shell plus the primary
membrane stress is not greater than 11/2 times the shell allowable stress.
5. MATERIALS
5.1 Material for shell nozzle and manway necks and annular bottom plates shall have physical and
chemical properties similar to those of the shell material. The difference in minimum specified yield strength
between the material of the shell and the material of the abovenoted components shall not exceed 20
percent of that of the shell material.
5.2 High-strength steel materials, other than those listed in API Standard 650, may be used with prior Mobil
approval. Approval shall be based on the following information, to be furnished with the vendors proposal:
(a) Complete chemical and mechanical specification limits, including steel process and heat
treatment.
(b) Description of measures employed to ensure uniformity of mechanical properties and
microstructure.
(c) Minimum expected Charpy V-notch impact energy of base material, weld material, and
heat-affected zone at the minimum design temperature.
(d) Welding procedures proposed, including heat treatment if any, and the resultant mechanical
properties of welded joints.
(e) Methods of quality control during tank erection, such as production weld test plates, ultrasonic
inspection, and magnetic particle inspection.
(f) List of other tanks fabricated of the proposed material.
5.3 Microalloy elements in fine-grain carbon-manganese steels are restricted as follows:
(a) Vanadium shall not exceed 0.05 percent.
(b) Niobium shall not exceed 0.05 percent.
(c) Their combined content shall not exceed 0.08 percent.
(d) When these elements are used, the soluble aluminum-to-nitrogen ratio shall not be less than 2:1.
5.4 The actual yield strength divided by the actual ultimate tensile strength shall not exceed 0.85.
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MARCH 1993 PAGE 3 OF 4 EGE 14-B-2 1993
6. WELDING AND WELD INSPECTION
6.1 Welding
6.1.1 Production welding procedures and production welding shall conform to the methods used in the
procedure qualification tests, with the following limitations:
(a) Individual weld layer thickness shall not be greater than that used in the procedure qualification
tests.
(b) Electrodes shall be of the same size and AWS classification.
(c) Nominal preheat and interpass temperatures shall be the same as those in the procedure
qualification tests.
6.1.2 Hardness surveys across the procedure qualification welds and heat-affected zones shall be made
with an instrument having an indenter of 1.6 mm (1/16 in.) maximum diameter. Hardness shall not exceed
225 HB (238 HV10) except that peak hardness of up to 250 HB (260 HV10) is acceptable in the heat
affected zone. For steels with minimum specified yield strengths equal to or greater than 345 MPa (50,000
psi), peak heat affected zone hardness shall not exceed 310 HB (325 HV10). Alternatives to these
requirements require Mobil approval.
6.1.3 Welding procedure requalification will be required for automatic welding if flux composition is
changed or if speed and heat input are changed beyond the range specified.
6.1.4 A hardness test shall be made on each 30 m (100 ft) of the shell weld seams and on main nozzle
welds and shall not exceed 225 HB. A portable instrument of a type approved by Mobil (such as a Brinell
hardness tester) shall be used.
6.1.5 Fillet welds connecting the lowest shell course and floorplates to the annular bottom plate shall be
made with low-hydrogen electrodes equivalent to American Welding Society classification EXX16 or EXX18.
6.1.6 Steels with minimum specified yield strengths greater than 262 MPa (38,000 psi) and mechanical
properties enhanced by heat treatment shall have a minimum of two layers of weld metal on all scars,
pickups, structural attachments, or other welds made on the plate surface.
6.1.7 Downhill (downward) welding is not permitted on vertical shell seams for other than the root pass.
6.2 Weld Inspection
6.2.1 Weld inspection shall be in accordance with API Standard 650 and with the following requirements:
(a) For Horizontal Joints One spot radiograph in the first 3 m (10 ft) of each seam plus one for
each 15 m (50 ft) of seam length.
(b) For Vertical Joints Complete radiographing for all welds in plates thicker than 19 mm (3/4 in.).
For plates 19 mm (3/4 in.) or less, radiographing of all intersections plus one additional spot for each
7.6 m (25 ft) of vertical seam length in each course.
6.2.2 Structural attachment welds and welds attaching the lowest shell course to the annular bottom
plates shall be examined by the magnetic particle or dye penetrant method for the detection of cracks and
other linear discontinuities.
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EGE 14-B-2 1993 PAGE 4 OF 4 MARCH 1993
6.2.3 Longitudinal welds in shell and floor nozzles and manways shall be examined by radiography in
accordance with the requirements for vertical shell joints. There shall be at least one spot radiograph for
each weld.
7. ERECTION
Lugs, clips, and similar items attached by welding for purposes of erection only shall be removed. The plate
in these weld areas and at other scars shall be ground smooth and shall be examined by the magnetic
particle or dye penetrant method.
8. COATINGS
The bottom course and annular bottom plate shall be epoxy coated on the inside when the minimum
specified tensile strength of the plate material is greater than 586 MPa (85,000 psi). The type of epoxy
coating and the method of application shall be in accordance with the requirements of Section 5 of EGE
35-B-2.