
Bund wall is a concrete earth wall surrounding a storage tank that contains bulk petroleum products such as Diesel or Paraffin. The wall is designed to hold contents of the tank in the event of leaks and raptures, whereas above-ground storage tanks are large containers made of metal and rest on top of the ground. These tanks are designed to hold bulk petroleum products.
Bund walls & above-ground Tanks Implementation
The bund walls and above-ground storage tanks must be implemented according to the South African National Bureau of Standard (SANS), bund walls installation capacity may not exceed 200m3. The SANS gives regulations regarding the installation of tanks, including design, manufacture and construction.
It is highly recommended for the above-ground storage tanks to be built in an area that is not congested or cluttered with other buildings or installations. Further to this it should not be too close to another property, water pipelines, river or streams in order to avoid possible hazards in case of spillage and contamination. For maintenance of pipeline and dykes, above-ground storage tanks should be built considering the maintenance that should take place after installation.
Bund walls & above-ground Tanks Design
The design of bund walls and above-ground storage tanks is accompanied by permits that are issued out by the local fire department. This also requires a plan of the installation and needs to be added to the building and site plans. At the actual location of the tank, signs should be displayed on the bund walls and above-ground storage tank, showing the area as a hazardous space. This is done to warn people, urging them to stay away or take necessary precautions when they are near the area.
Aboveground Storage Tanks:
- The above-ground storage tanks can be installed on a metal stand, where the tank is placed on top of that stand
- Depending on the client, the storage tanks are designed to carry between 2 200L of Diesel or paraffin, With the largest being 83 000L.
- Size and weight depend on the products, litres to be contained and whether it’s on the ground or stand.
Bund walls:
- The general purpose of bund walls is to limit, contain, minimize and manage the impact of spillages from tanks.
- The size of the bund walls is determined by the tanks weight, length and height.
- The bund walls should be built on a solid foundation designed and constructed to carry both the mass of the tank including the full mass of the liquid together with any external loads.

GASPET is a wholesale petroleum company that supply bulk fuel and lubricants to the South African market. Our ever-growing network of depots spread out in urban and rural areas offering the necessary infrastructure to assist in high demand petroleum supply. For more information, please see the following link to make contact https://gaspet.co.za/contact/