Fluid Containment Colombia SAS is one of the pioneer manufacturers of fiberglass reinforced polyester (FRP) tanks for the storage of fuels, chemicals, and other liquids. Among the company’s first objectives was to solve the problem of corroded metal fuel tanks leaking into the ground, contaminating ground water and polluting the environment. Historically, there were two choices when tanks were corroded: to either take the tank out of service or dig it up and replace it with a new tank. Both choices carry significant costs including leak cleanup, civil construction, tank replacement, and service disruptions. Fluid Containment not only manufactures FRP replacement tanks, but has also developed another innovative solution.
Fluid Containment’s solution allows the corroded tanks to be repaired with the original tank in place. Based on UL 1856 international standards for lining and retrofitting, Fluid Containment’s upgrade system restores the integrity of corroded tanks when removal is not a practical solution. Since 2014, Fluid Containment’s system has been successfully applied to more than 170 existing underground tanks. Fluid Containment completed two years of field tests to obtain UL 1856 certification for both its Single Wall (SW) and Double Wall (DW) Upgrade Systems — becoming the second certified company in South America to do so. For these tests and similar applications, Fluid Containment applies AOC’s Vipel F774 or F764 formulation through the hand lay-up process. Recognized for meeting UL standards, Vipel products offer durable performance in underground petroleum storage tanks that contain oxygenated fuels. Fluid Containment’s systems can repair corroded tanks with nominal capacity up to 15,000 gallons.
