Your Guide to Diesel Storage Tanks

What are the benefits of using a diesel tank?

If your organisation uses a lot of diesel, a large storage tank means that you can buy fuel in bulk and pay less per litre
You can dispense diesel on site and eliminate the time lost by drivers travelling to fuel stations and waiting to refill
Monitoring and control of diesel usage means increased efficiency across operations. Integrate a fuel management system with your diesel tank and you’ll have an even greater level of control at your fingertips
You’ll always have diesel on site to use in backup generators in the case of disruptions to your power supply. This is especially vital for hospitals, data management organisations and other essential service providers.

Different types of diesel tanks

There are a many different types of diesel tank available from Atlantis Tanks. This means that you can find a tank suitable for your needs, including your fuel consumption and proposed on site tank location.

We have portable diesel tanks to get fuel to vehicles in even the most difficult to access locations. We have plastic and steel tanks in all sizes, bunded and single-skinned tanks and all the tank accessories you need to make dispensing, refilling, securing and managing your fuel easy.

Our standard range of diesel storage tanks (not portable) offers sizes between 1300 and 50000 litres.

We have portable diesel tanks available in sizes between 230 and 3000 litres.

Bunded diesel tanks

A bunded diesel tank has two skins, or layers. There is an inner tank and a bund around that in the form of a second skin. This second skin forms a secondary containment area that contains the fuel that would otherwise leak out from a split or ruptured single skin tank.

Spills and leakage not only cost you money in fuel, they are incredibly damaging to the environment. Clean up costs, especially for larger spills, can be expensive, especially when the Environment Agency are involved. To make sure you’re ready in the event of a spill, have a spill kit on hand.

Single skin diesel tanks

As you’d imagine, a single skin diesel tank is just that – a tank consisting of only one layer, be that steel or plastic.

Although cheaper, these tanks are not suitable for many applications and regulations often prohibit their use. This is due to the increased chance of leakages. Commercial tanks with a capacity of 200 litres or more and domestic tanks with a capacity of 3500 litres or more must be bunded. Read the full regulations.

Steel diesel tanks

Although they can be more expensive up front, steel tanks last longer than plastic ones and they’re also easier to install. This means that you could be looking at saving money over the longer term.

Steel diesel tanks are also far more secure than their plastic equivalents and there are more security accessories available. With the price of fuel getting higher, diesel theft is on the increase and security should rank highly on your priority list.

Plastic diesel tanks

Our plastic diesel tanks are manufactured in the UK and moulded from Polyethylene using a rotational moulding process to produce a stress free product. The polymer used includes additives to make it resistant to harmful UV rays. With correct installation and ongoing care, these tanks have a long life ahead of them with very little maintenance needed.

Have a look at our range of static plastic diesel tanks

Have a look at our range of portable plastic diesel tanks

What size diesel storage tank do I need?

To accurately calculate the size of tank your business needs, you need to look at your average fuel consumption over a period of time. Now that you know the volume of fuel used, you can team that with your planned refill schedule and work out what volume of tank will suit you best. Of course, it’s always a good idea to buy fuel in bulk when prices are low, so you might want to consider buying a larger tank. However, do be aware of the risks of storing diesel for too long (see below for further information on this)

If you need a non-standard size or configuration, we can design and manufacture a bespoke tank that’s right for you. Read more about bespoke diesel tanks.

How long can I store diesel for?

The quality of diesel begins to diminish when it’s stored for an extended time period. Over time, oxygen reacts with the diesel and sediment forms. This reduces the efficiency of your fuel and can also seriously damage your tank and pipework.

To avoid excessive deterioration, fuel should be stored at a temperature below 20 ºC and out of direct sunlight. Your fuel should also be kept free of water, so reducing condensation within the tank is paramount. If storage conditions are optimum, diesel can be stored for up to a year without the need for additives such as metal de-activators, fungicides, biocides, antioxidants and fuel stability foams.