THE SHELL COMPANY’S NEW STORAGE TANKS AT DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 4006, 23 December 1930, Page 65

THE SHELL COMPANY’S NEW STORAGE TANKS AT DUNEDIN.

Amidst the rattle of pneumatic rivetters »nd the clanging of iron plates there has been considerable activity during the past six months upon the foreshore, where the various motor spirit firms have their Storage tanks.

The Shell Company of New Zealand, Ltd., has just completed the building of Several holders, the largest of which is pow undergoing ’tests prior to its being put into commission. Measuring 92 feet in diameter by about 40 feet in height, with a capacity- of 2,100,000 gallons, it is easily the largest in Dunedin, and one of the biggest of its kind in the Dominion. It will readily be understood that in a tank of this size, in addition

to the effect of the wind and other external factors, a very considerable strain is imposed upon the plates by the weight of petrol within, and in the lower portion three-quarter inch steel has been used, while something like 46,000 rivets have been hammered into the structure. Of the material used in the erection of the tank about 98 per cent was manufactured in Britain. An interesting feature is the fact that the roof is of the floating type, rising and falling according to the quantity of spirit in the tank. Special arrangements have been made in the construction whereby the roof forms a tight liquid and gas-proof joint with the sides, thus greatly reducing the risk of fire

and practically eliminating loss by evaporation, as the floating roof is at all times resting on the surface of the spirit. With this latest addition, the Shell Company’s total storage capacity in Dunedin is now brought up to slightly under 4,000,000 gallons. Included in this are tanks for both power kerosene and fuel oil. As far as the storage of fuel oil is concerned this is a new departure in Dunedin—bulk fuel oil until recently not having been available in this city. In the past both coastal and overseas vessels burning oil have been compelled to bunker in either Wellington or Auckland, no bulk fuel storage having been available in the South

Island. This has been particularly unfortunate, and has involved a considerable loss to Dunedin on such occasions as the visits of whaling ships and other oil burners. As the new fuel oil tank has a capacity of 1,500,000 gallons, the total storage available in New Zealand in case of emergency is substantially increased, and there is now a choice of three fuelling ports instead of two as previously. It is hardly necessary to point out that this extension of the harbour facilities in Dunedin is one of not inconsiderable importance both to the city and province, tending to increase the trading returns and to stimulate the general industrial development of Dunedin.