Cathodic Protection Guidance?

Who needs that?

Arent NACE & STI enough?
David Robinett Virginia Dept. of
Environmental Quality

December 22,1998 CP required for USTs

CP required for USTs
Huge demand for CP professionals
some well qualified
some not so well qualified
some qualified, but overloaded with work

No CP experts on staff, then or now

Our job is to determine CP compliance
6,500 out of 22,000 USTs

December 1998 CP required for USTs

Owners in need of CP services

In a hurry
Dont want to spend too much
May not know a lot about what they are buying
Just want to be in compliance with the UST regs

Inspection time comes (a year or 5 later)

Records of installation? (CP expert signature)
System testing performed?
Some CP test report examples:

volts

-0.1062

6.2 Volts
4.5 Volts

8.7 MA
8.6 MA
9.1 MA
8.9 MA

8.7 mV
8.6 mV
9.1 mV
8.9 mV

Help for us
Formal Corrosion Courses
STI
Appalachian Underground Corrosion Short Course

OUST Compendium
Started April 6, 1989
Made available on the website ~ December 1998

Other States
CP professionals
Contractors
CP Experts

Helping our Tank Owners

First attempts

Reference UST Regs, NACE & STI publications

Inconsistencies among staff
Varying interpretations (ambiguity) in publications
Resulted in a number of inadequate installations
and questionable test reports from industry

Second attempt
Developed a CP test form (January 2003)
This Helped!!!

CATHODIC PROTECTION TEST FORM

FACILITY INFORMATION
JOB # :
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
FACILITY ID # :

ZIP:

DATE OF TEST :

TIME OF TEST :

CONTACT:

PHONE # :
LAT:
LONG:

CLIENT INFORMATION
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:

ZIP:

TANK #

RECTIFIER INFO.
STRUCTURE
CONTACT POINT

PHONE # :
FAX # :

CONTACT:

SUMMARY OF TEST
THIS SUMMARY IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT THE *SITE SKETCH
OUTPUT VOLTAGE:
OUTPUT AMPS:
HR.:
REFERENCE CELL POTENTIAL @
RECTIFIER ON / or Galvanic (STI-P3)
END (R1)*

CENTER (R2)*

END (R3)*

RECTIFIER OFF
Inst. Off
(R1)

Inst. Off
(R2)

Inst. Off
(R3)

FINAL
VOLTAGE
VOLTAGE
DECAY

STRUCTURE PASSED OR
FAILED TO MEET THE MINIMUM
NACE STANDARD OUTLINED IN
RP0285-95

1
2
3
4
PIPING #

REFERENCE CELL POTENTIAL @

STRUCTURE CONTACT
POINT

RECTIFIER ON / or Galvanic

END (R1)*

END (R2)*

RECTIFIER OFF
Inst. Off
Inst. Off
FINAL
VOLTAGE
VOLTAGE
DECAY
(R1)
(R2)

1
2
3
4
TESTER NAME:
SOURCE OF CERTIFICATION:

_________________________________________________
SIGNATURE OF PERSON CONDUCTING TEST

TYPE OF CERTIFICATION:
CERTIFICATION NUMBER:

STRUCTURE PASSED OR FAILED TO

MEET THE MINIMUM NACE STANDARD
OUTLINED IN RP0285-95

DATE OF TEST:

FACILITY NAME:

FAC. ID # :
CONTINUITY TEST

TANK
No.

FILL
RISER

TANK
BOTTOM

STP
RISER

VENT RISER

FLEX
CONNECTOR

PIPING
RISER

(CONTINUOUS, ISOLATED)

1
2
3
4
IN THE SPACE BELOW, SKETCH THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE FACILITY SUCH AS TANKS, MAN WAYS, VENTS,
ANODES, PUMP ISLANDS AND BUILDINGS. INDICATE REFERENCE CELL LOCATIONS USING LOCATION CODE "R" AND
SEQUENTIAL NUMBERS ( R1, R2, AND R3 ).
COMMENTS

Helping our Tank Owners

Second attempt

Developed a CP test form (January 2003)

This Helped!!!
Time intensive
Consistency issues

Recognized the need for more comprehensive

guidance.

Helping our Tank Owners

Third attempt-Develop a CP Manual
Review existing state publications (chose
Mississippi:2002)
Reinforce as much of NACE & STI as possible
Include definitions, certification requirements, basics of CP

Educate and Re-educate staff members

Study Remote CP readings (K. Henderson, LUSTline #48)
Discuss Draft amongst ourselves a couple of times

CP Manual points-of-clarity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

General guidelines for CP National Standard (e.g., NACE) must be

followed
CP Tester qualifications defined and referenced (NACE & EPA)
Soil access must be provided - No readings over concrete or asphalt
per NACE RP0285
IR (voltage) drops considered and instant-off tests required for all
impressed current systems
Continuity/isolation must always be established when testing :
Point-to-Point and Fixed CellMoving Ground methods reviewed.
CP Expert consultation required under certain circumstances
Example: CP Expert must resolve inconclusive test results (no
second testers opinion)

CP Manual points-of-clarity continued

7.

8.

9.
10.

Test criteria:
-850mV-On for factory-installed galvanic anode systems (sti-P3)
(never for impressed current)
-850mV-Off for impressed current and field installed galvanic
interruptible systems
100mV Polarization for interruptible galvanic and impressed current
systems
Number of Test points:
Galvanic or STI-P3 3 test points (one local, one remote, & one
optional location)
Impressed Current 3 tests (all local over the structure no
remotes)
Reference cell placement locations must always be included on the
site sketch of the CP test/evaluation form
Flex connectors in contact with the ground must have the ground
moved away or be CP protected

Finalize Guidance
Draft out to industry for review
Virginias CP Manual published May 2006
Weblink address:
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/tanks/pdf/06-2006.pdf