Produced water and saltwater disposal (SWD) facilities run hard. Trucks unload around the clock. Tanks collect oil skim and settled solids, and brine attacks any steel that isn’t protected. The tanks, catwalks and stairs at these sites need the same components as an oil tank battery, but cleanouts, sealing and corrosion resistance matter even more. SteelFront makes these produced water tank parts in Hutchinson, Kansas and lists them online with prices, so operators and maintenance contractors can replace a worn part or outfit a new tank without a quote cycle.
The problems these sites deal with
- Solids build-up: sand and sludge settle in receiving and storage tanks and have to be removed through a large opening.
- Leaking seals: manway and cleanout gaskets that don’t fit the flange let fluid weep, and it shows up as staining and corrosion on the shell.
- Corrosion: brine and wet conditions shorten the life of bare steel walkways, treads and hardware.
- Heavy foot traffic: gaugers and operators climb the tanks every day, so treads and walkway surfaces need to stay slip resistant.
Cleanouts: the most-used opening on a water tank
The SteelFront rectangular cleanout frame is robotically welded for a continuous seal. It measures 28″ x 40″ outside with a 24″ x 36″ opening and is built from 2″ x 3″ x 1/4″ angle. It ships raw so it can be welded into the shell. The matching cleanout cover comes in 1/4″ or 3/8″ plate with holes that line up with the frame. Seal it with our neoprene gasket roll (2″ wide, 100 ft). Keep a roll on hand so the gasket can be replaced every time the cover comes off.
Round manways for inspection and top access
Our round manway lets you specify diameter (16″ to 36″), neck length (4″, 7″, or 12″), neck thickness, flange thickness, and single or double punching. That flexibility helps when you’re matching an existing tank’s bolt pattern. Order the manway cover and a Fibreflex gasket in the same diameter. The gaskets are double punched, so one gasket fits both single- and double-punched flanges.
Gauging and instrumentation hardware
Operators read levels many times a day. The U-bar for sight glass gauge covers is a 25-3/4″ channel with punched oblong holes that bolts to lugs on the tank, in raw or hot dip galvanized steel. Mount it with 1-hole or 2-hole lugs, which come welded to a 1/4″ baseplate in raw or hot dip galvanized finish. A nameplate bracket keeps the tank’s data plate legible. For hose management at the unloading area, the universal hose reel bracket (11 gauge) bolts to walls and fits a wide range of standard hose reels.
Corrosion-aware walkways and stairs
For stairways, choose bar grating treads or formed-grated treads in hot dip galvanized, with a matching top step. Water and snow drain through the open surface. The walkway pan comes 26″ or 48″ wide in pre-galvanized steel, and perforated toe boards bolt directly to walkway uprights. Frame with hot dip galvanized structural punched angle and use a pitch plate where two stair sections meet.
A practical rule: galvanize anything that bolts together and stays exposed. Order raw steel for anything that will be welded to the tank and coated with it.
Safety considerations
Tank entry for cleaning is where most of the risk sits. OSHA’s permit-required confined space standard, 29 CFR 1910.146, defines a confined space as one large enough to enter, with limited means of entry or exit, and not designed for continuous occupancy. It lists tanks and vessels as examples. On walkways and stairs, 29 CFR 1910.29(k) requires toeboards at least 3.5″ high with openings no larger than 1″, and 29 CFR 1910.25 sets stair angle (30 to 50 degrees), riser (max 9.5″) and tread depth (min 9.5″) limits for standard stairs. Your safety program decides which rules apply. The system designer is responsible for compliance of the finished structure.
Containment around the tank pad
A grade band (13 gauge, 6″ to 12″ wide) rolled around each tank and secured with stakes contains the pad and keeps gravel in place.
Parts list for a produced water tank
- Cleanout frame, cover and neoprene gasket roll
- Round manway, cover and Fibreflex gasket
- Sight glass U-bar and mounting lugs; nameplate bracket
- Galvanized treads, top step, walkway pans, toe boards and punched angle
- Grade bands and stakes; hose reel bracket
See all parts in Storage Tank Parts and Walkways & Stairways. For crude oil tank batteries, see our oil and gas tank battery parts page.
Pair a cleanout frame with a cover and gasket, or browse all tank manways.
Frequently asked questions
Why do produced water tanks need cleanouts?
Solids settle in produced water tanks over time. A rectangular cleanout gives crews a large opening near the bottom of the shell to remove them. SteelFront’s cleanout frame has a 24″ x 36″ opening inside a 28″ x 40″ frame.
Which finish holds up best around saltwater?
Saltwater is corrosive, so for parts that are bolted together and left exposed, choose hot dip galvanized where it’s offered, such as treads, lugs, angle and grade bands. Choose raw steel for parts that will be welded to the tank and then coated along with it.
What seals the cleanout cover to the frame?
Our neoprene gasket roll is made for our rectangular cleanout frames. It’s 2″ wide and comes in 100 ft lengths, so you cut it to fit.
What is the U-bar for sight glass gauge covers?
It’s a 25-3/4″ long channel, 2-1/4″ wide, 2″ tall and 3/16″ thick. Its punched oblong holes let it bolt to lugs on the tank and shield a sight glass gauge. It comes in raw or hot dip galvanized steel.
Can I buy just one part for a repair?
Yes. Every part is sold individually online with prices shown, from a single bar grating saddle clip to a full manway assembly.