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Strangely at odds with the sensible idea that a storage tank can be heavily repaired throughout its life lies the subject of tank reconstruction. This is the wholesale dismantling of a tank into a large number of transportable pieces and then reassembling them somewhere else, on a completely different site. Opinions differ on whether this is all worth the bother. It is a labour intensive exercise and many countries with high labour rates would not find it economic — it would be cheaper to build a new one.
Technical practicality plays a part in the decision — it can be physically awkward getting the disassembled parts to fit, particularly for larger tanks. The state of corrosion can also cause problems — additional corrosion is often discovered during disassembly, requiring repairs before reassembly of the parts. Old, large tanks are the biggest risk.
Notwithstanding the practical and cost uncertainties, tank reconstruction is clearly a viable option in those countries that do it, so it is a long-standing part of API 653, with specific technical principles. It is also a valid topic for API 653 exam questions.