TSA returns to Coventry

SKY BLUE THINKING

PREVIEW • THE LEADING MINDS IN SAFE AND EFFICIENT BULK LIQUID STORAGE WILL CONVENE IN COVENTRY THIS SEPTEMBER FOR THE TANK STORAGE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

THE ANNUAL TANK Storage Association (TSA) event, the Tank Storage Conference and Exhibition, will be held at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 26 September. As ever, the conference programme will feature presentations from regulators and industry experts on topics that are key to safe and effective bulk liquids storage operations.

Representatives from all sides of the tank storage sector will be exhibiting their cutting-edge creations and industry-leading expertise for those visiting the event. Whether a business is looking for the perfect supplier of gaskets and hoses, is needing a state-ofthe-art design for a new tank terminal, or is simply looking to source the highest quality inspection team, the annual TSA event is the prime place to go.

PLANNING AHEAD The doors will open early to give delegates the opportunity to have coffee and buns and to wander around the exhibition hall before the conference really kicks off. They will also have the chance to catch up with colleagues and peers in the networking area, while debating whether or not Coventry City Football Club will be back at the Ricoh next year.

Paul Denmead, TSA president, will open proceedings with an introduction to welcome everyone to the show and set the stage for the conference, which will be chaired by HCB’s editor-in-chief, Peter Mackay.

The first speaker will be Giacomo Boati, executive director for oil markets midstream, downstream at IHS Markit, who will discuss how the imminent arrival of the ‘IMO 2020’ regulations, and their requirement for vessels to reduce sulphur oxide emissions, will impact the European bulk liquids storage sector. It will inevitably result in terminals having to provide more grades of fuel and many operators have already been making the necessary adjustments to their assets.

Keeping the theme of environmental impacts going, Dr Jo Nettleton, deputy director radioactive substances and installations regulation at the Environment Agency, will speak about the future challenges and opportunities that environmental regulation of the industry will bring. The environment has been a prominent topic in recent years and being able to keep ahead of the curve is pivotal for businesses to thrive in an ever-changing landscape, so the opportunities discussed here should not be missed.

The other main body with a remit to regulate activities in bulk liquids storage terminals in the UK is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which this year will once again be represented by Dr Paul Logan, director of HSE’s Chemical, Explosives and Microbiological Hazards Division. He will discuss the different approaches that can be taken to regulating high hazards industry in line with the UK government’s industrial strategy.

Also from HSE, Caron Maloney, specialist inspector – risk assessment, will look into the differences between individual and societal risk and how terminal operators need to take both into account in their risk evaluation under the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations.

If IMO 2020 is much in the minds of terminal operators right now, they are also keeping a watching eye on what the promised decarbonisation of the energy industry will mean for them. Dr Brian Worrall, head of group sustainability at DCC, will give his views on the implications for the hydrocarbon supply chain and how terminal operators may have more options open to them than they might imagine.

Rounding off the conference proceedings will be Allan P Greensmith of APG Consulting and Training, who promises to send delegates home in a thoughtful mood after an eyeopening and informative incident case study titled “Never Again”. As explained in recent HCB TV videos by Peter Mackay (which can be found on the HCB TV YouTube channel and »

by signing up to our weekly newsletter), the lasting legacy of industrial incidents is one that should not be swept away but analysed intently and the lessons passed on to those in the industry who are too young to have been around at the time.

EXPERT EXHIBITORS In between the talks at the conference, there will be plenty of time to see everything on show in the exhibition hall. Among those presenting its solutions and services will be Flotech, a familiar face at the TSA event, which will provide visitors with the chance to discover equipment covering industrial safety gates to tank venting, and superhydrophobic coatings to design services. “We have been working with TSA for many years and have a great relationship with the event and organisers,” says Tom Sadler, managing director at Flotech. “TSA provides an excellent setting to down tools and catch up with our valued customers and suppliers.”

Jesse Shaw, operations and marketing manager at Flotech, adds: “TSA is a key annual event for us that gives an excellent opportunity to network with new and existing customer and suppliers. Alongside the great speaker sessions, invaluable time is spent with fellow event professionals in an excellent setting.”

There are also some exciting new developments for visitors to experience during the show. Over at Viking Inspection, attendees will be treated to the launch of SLOFEC™ (see page 18), the latest in inspection services covering tank floor, shell, weld seam and pipeline inspection. “We have exhibited at the TSA for the last three years and I find it our most important annual event for connecting with existing and new customers,” says Davina Symonds, sales and marketing manager at Viking Inspection. “This year, we will have a new stand dedicated to the launch of SLOFEC, for which we have the sole UK licence, and I am looking forward to discussing its unique benefits for storage tanks and pipework.”

Other exhibitors include Hawkes Fire and Protego, ensuring industry has access to the latest developments in fire safety and flame arresters. Keeping the workplace brighter are Wolf Safety and Atexor, providing hazardous area lighting solutions with equipment available for zones 0, 1 and 2 covering a huge range of certifications. Anton Paar will be exhibiting its latest instruments, process measuring systems and custom-tailored automation and robotics solutions alongside Aquilar, a specialist in leak detection for commercial and petrochemical industries.

There are of course many more exhibitors (more than 60) that are eager to speak to attendees to show how their expertise and innovative products can provide great benefits to different businesses; full details of the exhibition can be found on the event website. Registration is still open for those wishing to attend and a few stands are available for those wanting to showcase their products and services. For those looking to secure a stand, please contact Joseph Quinn at Cresco Marketing on +44 1702 471 846 or email joe@crescomarketing.com. For anyone requiring accommodation, the DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry has a limited number of discounted rooms organised by the TSA – please call +44 2476 60300 and quote ATANA for more information on the special rate. HCB www.tankstorage.org.uk/conference-exhibition

REGULAR EXHIBITORS AGREE THAT THE TSA

CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION OFFERS A UNIQUE

OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THEIR MARKET AND

THE CHANCE TO EXPLAIN THEIR APPROACH TO