Why forward-thinking operators are adopting field-ready systems from Henkel to safeguard critical storage assets for the long-term
Storage tanks are more than supporting structures; they’re the backbone of safe, continuous, and efficient operations. Yet all storage tank infrastructures face relentless threats from corrosion, mechanical stress, thermal cycling, and environmental exposure. The cost of failure can be catastrophic and is often underestimated
Across industries, there is extensive consideration in storage tank maintenance, often framed as a choice between reactive or proactive. With growing global emphasis on asset reliability and risk mitigation, the shift toward proactive protection is no longer optional, but essential.
Forward-thinking operators are adopting industry-proven, long-lasting, and easy-to-maintain solutions that extend asset life, ensure compliance, reduce downtime, and lower total cost. Every storage tank is made up of critical zones: roof, wall, bottom, and surrounding assets, and each face distinct challenges. By applying specialised technologies and integrated protection systems to these areas, it is possible to significantly enhance tank reliability, safety, and service life.
TANK ROOFS
Tank roofs are among the most exposed and failure-prone areas of a storage tank, often suffering from corrosion, coating degradation, and leakage due to weld failures or aging seals. Historically, operators have relied on conventional insulation and underdeveloped epoxy coatings that degrade under UV exposure or trapped moisture. These methods often fail to prevent corrosion and lack the durability which results in failures and unpredicted maintenance requirements.
TANK WALLS
Tank walls are vulnerable to corrosion, coating damage, and leakage. These issues can be due to internal or external factors. For internal, it is often a result of chemical exposure or the medium inside the tank, and externally due to environmental stressors such as UV exposure, physical impacts or degradation of previously used coatings. In the past, operators have relied on generic coatings and insulation systems that require extensive surface preparation, or coatings that fail under UV exposure or chemical attack. These methods tend to miss early-stage damage and lack the resilience needed for long-term protection.
TANK BOTTOMS
Tank bottoms are especially vulnerable to corrosion and leakage due to water settling beneath stored medium, sludge, flooding and contact with moist soil. Condensation and ingress can create corrosive environments, and poor surface preparation and chemical attack often lead to applied coatings to fail. Inspection is difficult due to limited access, and traditional methods could miss addressing corrosion points that can cause unexpected failure.
Additionally, cathodic protection systems, if improperly designed or maintained, can fail to prevent corrosion, resulting in long-term degradation and the tank becoming unusable. Historically, operators have relied on underdeveloped coatings and sacrificial anodes, which often do not perform long-term due to installation complexity, lack of monitoring, and inability to self-heal or adapt to field conditions.
TANK SURROUNDING ASSETS
Tank surrounding assets can include handrails, stairways, auxiliary zones, pipe supports, flange systems, and emergency systems. These areas are also prone to corrosion and damage due to environments, chemical leaks, and also saline conditions for the tanks in offshore or subsea facilities. Previously, operators have relied on manual inspections and generic coatings which often fail to protect against corrosion, lack real-time visibility, and require disruptive shutdowns for repairs or isolation.
FIELD-READY SOLUTIONS
A diverse range of field-ready solutions is essential for proactively maintaining storage tanks. Henkel can provide a comprehensive portfolio of advanced systems, coatings, and digital tools specifically engineered to support proactive maintenance and ensure long-term protection of storage tanks.
Loctite adhesives, sealants, coatings and repair systems deliver chemical resistance, structural reinforcement and wear protection. Loctite Pulse enables continuous monitoring of leaks, corrosion, and structural integrity facilitating a shift from reactive to proactive maintenance. CSNRI composite repair technologies address localised structural damage efficiently.
For tank roofs, walls, and bottoms, Mascoat solutions are known to provide long-term thermal insulation, personnel protection, and help prevent the risk of corrosion under insulation (CUI). Stopaq self-healing coatings offer surface-tolerant corrosion protection without the need for abrasive blasting. Anodeflex systems can ensure long-term cathodic protection, and liquid coatings and linings from Powercrete, LifeLast, Canusa-CPS, US Coatings, and Highland International provide robust protection against chemical exposure, corrosion, and mechanical damage, both internally and externally.
For surrounding infrastructure, applications from GeoTree, Fyfe solutions support structural reinforcement, and AVT provides emergency isolation and maintenance activities without requiring operational shutdowns.
Across industries worldwide, Henkel’s solutions have outperformed legacy methods, delivered long-term durability and engaged in the shift toward proactive maintenance. By enabling smarter monitoring, safer operations, and longer asset life, Henkel empowers operators to prevent failures before they occur. The result is a more reliable infrastructure, reduced maintenance demands, and significant savings in both cost and time – delivering a compelling value proposition for resilient, future ready operations.
Harish Iyer and Sébastien Deregnaucourt are at Henkel, parent company of Loctite, CSNRI, and Seal For Life Technologies.
www.sealforlife.com/tanks
