Oil and Fuel Storage Tank Construction Project – Sample WBS

Oil and Fuel Storage tanks (API 650 design) are typically used in petrochemical plants. They are large field fabricated storage tanks operating at low pressures or atmospheric pressures. There are various types of tanks such as fixed roof tanks and floating roof tanks, etc. Tank bottom is usually constructed of overlapping steel plates welded by manual or automatic welding technique. Tank shells are constructed from courses of steel plates. E.g. First shell course, 2nd shell course and so on.

In this article, we will focus on a specific type of tank, external floating roof type with single deck and internal pontoon. Sample Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for an external floating roof type designed tank construction project can be decomposed as the following. As tank erection work is only focused, detailed WBS for foundation work is intentionally left at level 1.  It is just to show that foundation is required for the above ground storage tank.
WBS Code   WBS Name 

TANK       External Floating Roof Tank
 TANK.1    Foundation Works 

 TANK.2    Field Erection Works
  TANK.2.1  Tank Bottom
    TANK.2.1.1  Bottom Plates Installation 

    TANK.2.1.2  Final Coating ( if Carbon Steel)
  TANK.2.2  Shell Side
    TANK.2.2.1  Shell Plates Installation
    TANK.2.2.2  Nozzles and Manways Installation
    TANK.2.2.3  Final Coating ( if Carbon Steel)
  TANK.2.3  Roof Works
    TANK.2.3.1 Center Deck Plate Installation
    TANK.2.3.2  Drainage Piping
    TANK.2.3.3  Final Coating (if Carbon Steel)
  TANK.2.4  Tank Accessories Installation
    TANK.2.4.1  Internal Appurtenances
     TANK.2.4.1.1  Roof Supports (Pontoon/Deck) , Gauge Pole
    TANK.2.4.2  External Accessories
     TANK.2.4.2.1  Platform & Handrails
     TANK.2.4.2.2  Spiral Stairways
     TANK.2.4.2.3  Level gauge
  TANK.2.5  FireFighting Works
    TANK.2.5.1  Foam Piping Installation
    TANK.2.5.2  Final Coating

The above WBS format can be represented as a hierarchical structure as shown in figure below.

WBS Table for External Floating Roof Tank in MS Project 2010



Sample WBS for External Floating Roof Tank in Primavera P6.

Simply download sample WBS template in Excel, MS Project and P6 and you can start building detailed deliverable list and project schedule.