FINAL 2013 BIENNIAL LEAK

DETECTION TESTING REPORT 

OF BULK FIELD-CONSTRUCTED 

UNDERGROUND STORAGE 

TANK 9,RED HILL 

UNDERGROUND FUEL 

STORAGE FACILITY

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBORHICKAM, HAWAII

Prepared for:

Defense Logistics Agency Energy

Ft. Belvoir, Virginia

Prepared under:

NAVFAC Atlantic

Contract N62470-10-D-3000-0026

Submitted by:

Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

Virginia Beach, VA

Date:

17 APRIL 2013

Project: 127964

Task: 4.1.033
FINAL 2013 BIENNIAL LEAK DETECTION TESTING REPORT

OF BULK FIELD-CONSTRUCTED UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK 9,

RED HILL UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE FACILITY

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII

Prepared for:

Defense Logistics Agency Energy

Ft. Belvoir, VA

Prepared under:

NAVFAC Atlantic

Contract N62470-10-D-3000-0026

Prepared by:

Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

17 April 2013
i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ........................................................................ ii

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER CERTIFICATION:...................................................................... iii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................ iv

1.0 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Purpose of Project .......................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Site Background and History ......................................................................................... 1

1.3 Historical Leak Detection Results.................................................................................. 2

1.4 Project Scope ................................................................................................................. 2

1.5 Project Team.................................................................................................................. 5

1.6 Qualifications of Testing Procedures Used.................................................................... 5

2.0 LEAK DETECTION TESTING AND RESULTS ............................................................ 6

3.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................. 7

3.1 Conclusions.................................................................................................................... 7

3.2 Recommendations.......................................................................................................... 7

4.0 REFERENCES................................................................................................................... 8

List of Tables

Table 1-1: Items Tested................................................................................................................... 2

Table 2-1: Test Results.................................................................................................................... 6

List of Figures

Figure 1-1: Base Overview Map ..................................................................................................... 3

Figure 1-2: Red Hill System Layout ............................................................................................... 4

List of Appendices

Appendix A Mass Technology Corporation Test Report
ii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AFB Air Force Base

Baker Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

BFCUST Bulk field-constructed underground storage tank

BMP Best Management Practice

CMP Centrally Managed Program

DLA Defense Logistics Agency

gph Gallons per hour

JB Joint Base

MDLR Minimum detectable leak rate

MTC Mass Technology Corporation

NWGLDE National Work Group on Leak Detection Evaluations

PD Probability of detection

PFA Probability of a false alarm

PSA Product surface area
iii

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER CERTIFICATION:

Final 2013 Biennial Leak Detection Testing Report

Of Bulk Field-Constructed Underground Storage Tank 9,

Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

This report has been reviewed by a professional engineer and has been prepared in accordance 

with good engineering practices. Laboratory results, field notes, and supporting data have been 

reviewed and referenced correctly. 

I hereby certify that I have examined this report and attest that it has been prepared in accordance 

with good engineering practices.

Engineer: Christopher D. Caputi, P.E.

Registration Number: 032382

State: Virginia

Date: 17 April 2013
iv

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The scope of this project is to perform biennial leak detection testing of Bulk Field-Constructed

Underground Storage Tank 9 at Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility, Joint Base Pearl 

Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. There are currently no regulations that require testing of bulk fieldconstructed underground storage tanks at Red Hill. The testing is being conducted under Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy’s Leak Detection Centrally Managed Program as a pollution prevention 

Best Management Practice.

Bulk Field-Constructed Underground Storage Tank 9 was Mass Technology Corporation leak

detection tested from 21 February through 28 February 2013 with no detectable leak above the 

test method’s minimum detectable leak rate of 0.7 gallons per hour resulting in a passed test.

Biennial leak detection testing of Bulk Field-Constructed Underground Storage Tank 9 should be 

completed on or before the anniversary date of 28 February 2015 under Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy’s Leak Detection Centrally Managed Program as a pollution prevention Best 

Management Practice.
1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose of Project

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy contracted Michael Baker Jr., Inc. (Baker) through 

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic Contract N62470-10-D-3000-0026

to perform biennial leak detection testing of Bulk Field-Constructed Underground Storage Tank 

(BFCUST) 9 at Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility, Joint Base (JB) Pearl HarborHickam, Hawaii. There are currently no regulations requiring the testing of BFCUSTs at Red 

Hill. The testing is being conducted under DLA Energy’s Leak Detection Centrally Managed 

Program (CMP) as a pollution prevention Best Management Practice (BMP).

1.2 Site Background and History

Pearl Harbor was established as a United States naval base in 1908. In 1934, the Army Air Corps 

began construction of the base that, on May 31, 1935, was dedicated as Hickam Air Force Base 

(AFB). In 2010, Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Hickam AFB were merged into JB Pearl 

Harbor-Hickam combining the two historic bases into a single joint installation to support both 

Air Force and Navy missions, along with the tenant commands, and all the service members and 

their families. The base plays a central role in the Pacific theater and constitutes a vital part of the 

United States defense establishment today.

The Red Hill underground fuel storage facility was constructed between 1940 and 1943 to replace 

vulnerable aboveground fuel storage tanks that were located around Pearl Harbor. The Red Hill 

underground fuel storage facility consists of 20 BFCUSTs located hundreds of feet below ground. 

There are 2 rows of 10 (each) 12,600,000 gallon BFCUSTs. The BFCUSTs at Red Hill are 

connected and accessible through two tunnel systems. A top tunnel runs approximately 60 feet 

below the top of the tanks and a bottom tunnel runs along the bottom level of the tanks. The 

issue/receipt and water drain pipelines connecting each BFCUST and Pearl Harbor are located in 

the lower tunnel. All lines are equipped with Double Block and Bleed Valves for isolation. 

BFCUST 9 stores JP-8 and is 100 feet in diameter and 250 feet in height (capacity equals 

12,600,000 gallons). 
2

1.3 Historical Leak Detection Results

The last biennial test event of BFCUST 9, a Mass Technology Corporation (MTC) leak detection 

test conducted from 28 February to 9 March 2011, showed passing results with no detectable leak 

above the test method’s minimum detectable leak rate (MDLR) of 0.7 gallons per hour (gph) 

(Baker, 2011).

1.4 Project Scope

A MTC leak detection test on BFCUST 9 was performed from 21 February through 28 February 

2013. Table 1-1 provides a description of the systems tested. Figure 1-1 provides a base 

overview map. Figure 1-2 provides a layout of the Red Hill system.

Table 1-1: Items Tested

Designation Diameter

(Feet)

Height

(Feet)

Volume

(Gallons) Product Comments

BFCUST 9 100 feet 250 12,600,000 JP-5 Product Level at Test: 211 feet
3

Figure 1-1: Base Overview Map

(Source: Google Maps, 2013)
4

Figure 1-2: Red Hill System Layout

(Source: Baker, 2009)
5

1.5 Project Team

Baker subcontracted MTC to perform the leak detection testing. Field-testing oversight, 

coordination with facility fuels representatives, quality assurance/quality controls, and final report 

preparation and submission was provided by Baker personnel.

1.6 Qualifications of Testing Procedures Used

The testing procedures used were those defined as the MTC - Precision Mass Measurement 

Systems SIM-1000 / CBU-1000 (72 hour test) leak detection method. Determination of leakage 

is based on the criteria established in the Ken Wilcox Associates third party evaluation (National 

Work Group on Leak Detection Evaluations [NWGLDE, 2013]). The MTC Precision Mass 

Measurement System (72 hour test) is certified with a capability to detect leaks on a tank 

proportional to the product surface area (PSA) with a probability of detection (PD) of 95 percent 

and probability of a false alarm (PFA) of 5 percent. Due to the extreme height of the tank, a total 

of 168 hours of testing was performed.

By performing a number of non-overlapping tests in sequence and averaging the resultant leak 

rates, a modified threshold can be established for declaring a leak. Through standard statistical 

analysis, the larger the number of tests used in the averaging will result in a lower threshold and, 

therefore, a smaller size leak can be detected with a 95 percent PD.

72 hour test 50,000 gallons or greater:

Leak rate is proportional to PSA. 

For tanks with PSA of 14,200 ft2, leak rate is 0.638 gph with PD = 95% and PFA = 5%. 

For other tank sizes, leak rate equals [(PSA in ft2 ÷ 14,200 ft2) x 0.638 gph]. 

Example:

For a tank with PSA = 20,000 ft2; leak rate = [(20,000 ft2 ÷ 14,200 ft2) x 0.638 gph] = 0.898 gph.

Leak rate may not be scaled below 0.2 gph
6

2.0 LEAK DETECTION TESTING AND RESULTS

MTC’s test report is provided in Appendix A. BFCUST 9 was leak detection tested with no 

detectable leak above the test method’s minimum detectable leak rate (MDLR) of 0.7 gph. Test 

results are listed in Table 2-1.

Table 2-1: Test Results

Designation Volume

(Gallons)

Height 

(Feet) Product

Certified

MDLR

(gph)

Test

Date Result

BFCUST 9 12,600,000 250 JP-5 0.7

21 February 2013 –

28 February 2013

Passed
7

3.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 Conclusions

BFCUST 9 passed the 2013 biennial leak detection testing.

3.2 Recommendations

In accordance with DLA Energy’s Leak Detection CMP as a pollution prevention BMP, biennial 

leak detection testing of BFCUST 9 should be completed on or before the anniversary date of 28 

February 2015.
8

4.0 REFERENCES

Baker, 2011 Final 2011 Biennial Integrity Testing Report Of Bulk Field Constructed 

Underground Storage Tank 9 – Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam / Red 

Hill, Hawaii. Prepared for DLA Energy, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, under 

NAVFAC Atlantic Contract N62470-10-D-3000-0004. Dated 30 March

2011.

NWGLDE, 2013 Listing by the NWGLDE (20th Edition): Mass Technology Corporation –

Precision Mass Measurement Systems SIM-1000 and CBU-1000 (72 

hour test) – BULK UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK LEAK 

DETECTION METHOD (50,000 gallons or greater).

Issue Date: 23 August 1999

Revision Date: 28 May 2008 

http://nwglde.org/evals/mass_technology_c.html.
Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

TEST REPORT

JB PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM / RED HILL, HAWAII

APPENDIX A –

MASS TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION TEST REPORT
 1

176

FISC Red Hill Project Manager – Mr. Mark Caldon

Pearl Harbor, HI

Site Supervisor – Travis Ricketson

Scope of Work: Furnish all required management, labor, services, materials and equipment 

to perform the required annual tightness testing of Tank # 9 an underground 

fuel storage tank located at FISC Red Hill, Pearl Harbor, HI.

Report compiled by: Date: 04-10-2013

 Ricky Slaughter

Summary

Testing of Tank # 9 a 12,600,000 gal underground storage tank located at FISC Red Hill, Pearl 

Harbor, Hawaii commenced February 21, 2013 and was completed February 28, 2013. The result 

of that testing is that the tank system is determined to be tight to isolation. All tank valves were 

adequately secured such that no unusual readings were noted. Testing was performed using the 

Mass Technology Corporation protocols set out in the third party evaluations. All tank valves 

were adequately secured such that any fluid loss was isolated to leakage. Therefore, the 

containment integrity of the tank was not compromised and the test is considered conclusive.

Tank # 9: After 168 hours of testing the tank is certified to be tight.

Precision Leak Measurement Report

P.O. Box 1578

Kilgore, Texas 75662
 2

Tank Data Tank # 9

Diameter: 100 ft. Height: 250 ft.

Tank Type: Vertical UST Contents: JP-5

Specific Gravity: 0.82 Product Level: 211 ft.

Start Date: 02/21/2013 Completion Date: 02/28/2013

Unit Operator: Travis Ricketson Test Results: Certified Tight

All dimensions, line locations, sizes and 

valve descriptions have been furnished 

by the facility operator.
 3

Results

The fluid mass data was recorded over a 168-hour period. A linear regression of the recorded fluid 

mass data resulted in a leak rate detected below the minimum detection level of 0.7 gallons per 

hour. All tank valves were adequately secured such that any fluid loss was isolated to leakage. 

Therefore, the containment integrity of the tank was not compromised and the test is considered 

conclusive.

Tank # 9 is certified to be tight.