An ILTA Working Group has completed work on a white paper describing a process hazard analysis of vapor recovery units and discussing mitigation options. ILTA opted to produce a white paper on this topic after it identified significant member interest following a Terminal Operating Practices Symposium (TOPS) presentation in September 2020. VRUs are used at petroleum loading facilities to control hydrocarbon emissions originating from all loading activities.

Terminal automation software automates certain manual processes in a terminal, specifically around load authorization, product movement (via multiple transportation methods), product measurement, documentation, and reporting. The software is flexible and open to integration with other siloed systems and hardware, including meter skids, weight scales, tank gauging systems, and secure access control systems. These systems often bridge the gap between the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)  and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. 

Two major winter storm systems brought a mix of ice, sleet and freezing rain to Houston and weather forecasters are calling it the region's worst in decades. Late last week, Houstonians rushed to prepare their cars, homes, and gardens for the storm but, despite these preparations, many in the Houston area are now struggling without heat or power. Our best wishes go out to all those residents in Houston – and the rest of Texas – as power companies, state and local authorities work to restore those essential services.  

There are so many wonderful things about winter – snowmen, Christmas lights, snow angels and holiday baking. But there is one major curse, especially for those living in the North: the dreaded and destructive pothole.

ILTA’s annual conference and trade show is back and better than ever for 2021! This year’s event will again be held in Houston on October 4-6 and will feature a diverse array of speakers, from industry experts to government professionals, who will provide meaningful insight into critical issues effecting the tank terminals industry. In today’s issue of Think Tank, we will be overviewing some of the most anticipated sessions in October’s upcoming show.