Document Kze46B51Mx8Xxz11oDegKd8qN

? A COPY lay 2S, 194-1 Dr, R. A. Kehoe Dear Doctor Kehoe: I thought you would be interested in seeing a copy of a report which was received recently from our Atlanta office. This concerns the Pan-American Airways case which we have discussed, Very truly yours, Signed: H. W. Kaley n rR K'' 0 0 2 2 8 9 0 COPY Atlanta, Georgia May 16, 199-1 Mr. Oo 3. Lewis Dear Oscar: 7/hile in Miami last week, I called at the Pan-American Airways and talked with the Assistant Chief Chemist, Ur. Garrison, who was in Cuba at the time our original contact was made at Pan-American Airways regarding the deposits in the gasoline. Mr. Garrison was in Cuba for the purpose of handling the dis posal of the gasoline containing the deposits, as well as the cleaning of their storage facilities that had been contaminated with the deposit. On my contact with him last week, I was able to get a first-hand story of how the underground storage tank at Antigua was cleaned. They originally planned to remove this underground tank, which had a capacity of approximately 2,000 gallons, and install a new tank. However, as a result of Mr. Garrison's activities, the tank was satisfactorily cleaned and salvaged, and they will continue to use it at that point. The handling of this tank ana the cleaning of it was accomp lished as follows: The product was first pumped out completely down to the level of the discharge line in the tank, and all lines, both entering and leaving the tank, were disconnected and blanked off. The tank was then dug up and moved a short distance to a pier over the bay water. This pier was not a solid pier, but one made by leaving spaces between the two-byfour timbers which were used for the floor planks. The intake and discharge lines of the tank were then opened and the tank thoroughly flushed with water, the flushing water going into the bay. The tank was completely emptied by turning it bottom side up, and thus draining it completely. This was done several times. To complete the process of cleaning, one gallon of muriatic acid was mixed v/ith fifty-five gallons of water and pumped into the tank. The tank was then rocked so that the solution was then drained out completely and the tank totally filled v/ith water to remove the acid completely, and then this water was drained out. The dock where this cleaning was accomplished, although the water ran through the openings into the bay, was washed with water after the tank had been removed from it. The tank, of course, was placed back underground and connected as before, and put back into storage service. Mr. Garrison showed me a bulletin that was sent out by the Division Engineer of Pan-American -Airways in Miami dated April 9 , 19^1 which gave definite instructions for cleaning all storage -2 facilities where this deposit had occurred. No tanks are to be entered in this program, and the method to be used is such that this particular organisation should have no difficulty from handling the deposits., This bulletin was sent to all divisions of Pan-American Airways - on the Pacific Coast, Mexico, Central and South American - and in turn was to be sent to all points where gasoline had been stored that showed evidences of*the deposit in question The method of cleaning as outlined in this bulletin was as follows: All product down to the level of the discharge line in the tank was to be pumped into drums, and to be held for dis position Auxiliary hand pumps were to be used then in cir culating the remaining product in the tank from the discharge line back through the intake of the tank, using long lines attached to the hand pumps to reach the bottom of the tank through the discharge side This would provide the means for sufficient agitation to stir up the remaining deposits in the tank. Y/hen it was felt that this agitation had been sufficient to produce the desired result, the line was to be removed from the intake side of the tank, and the product in the tank pumped into drums to be held for disposal. Additional quantities of gasoline were then to be pumped into the tank and the agitation process to be repeated. This procedure would be followed until sampling of the gasoline from the tank showed only a very small amount of deposition of solid material. All of this product used in this process is to be drummed and held until shipping instructions are received, and it is my understanding that thi3 would all be returned to the Texas Company. From this, you can see that the only likely exposure to this deposit would be at the receiving point of the Texas Company when it is shipped back. Under these circumstances, it might be desirable to discuss this with the Texas Company to be sure that none of their personnel are exposed to the deposits when removed from the drums. It would seem that on the basis of this bulletin, and the information given to us at Miami last week, that there is very little in the way of safety activities in connection with this particular problem that we can carry out in this Division. However, you may be sure that we will keep in touch with Pan American Airways so that if there are any future developments, we will know immediately and be in position to take steps to see that they are properly handled. Very truly yours, Signed: GEORGE P, ROSSER K 0022892