Cortec^® Unveils Expert-Driven Checklist to Improve AST Corrosion Protection

February 25, 2026

Several decades of field trials have demonstrated the value of Cortec^® CorroLogic™ for corrosion protection of AST (aboveground storage tank) bottoms, while API Technical Report 655 and AMPP SP21474- 2023 have enshrined the underlying VCI (vapor corrosion inhibitor) technology in industry standards. But when and why should tank farm operators generally—and airport tank operators specifically—add CorroLogic^™ to their AST integrity management strategy? Cortec^® recently looked at these issues with industry expert Kang Kim Ang, an AMPP certified corrosion and cathodic protection (CP) specialist at CORRTROL SYNERGY in Malaysia.*

Kang understands the ins and outs of both CP and CorroLogic^™ application for soil-side corrosion control on AST bottoms in the petrochemical and oil and gas industries. By extension, he also sees the importance of AST protection in the aviation industry:

“For airport tank farms, the stakes go far beyond infrastructure; they involve the safety and continuity of global air traffic. Reliable fuel and fire-water reserves are the lifeblood of airport operations, and any corrosion-related failure can lead to catastrophic environmental disasters or costly flight disruptions.”

While Kang still sees the value in CP and does not think it will go away anytime soon, he does believe that adding CorroLogic^™ to the corrosion protection equation offers significant advantages for greater operational continuity, extended inspection intervals, and better asset life predictability / preventative maintenance success. The following checklist, inspired by Kang’s reflections on the subject, will help tank farm operators evaluate their own readiness to take their tank protection strategy to the next level.

1. Is it time for a retrofit?
   The greatest advantage of CorroLogic^™ is that the tank can stay in service during application, unlike traditional anode retrofitting.
2. Do you want to avoid significant excavation and reduce risk of tank bottom damage?
   Kang shares, “CorroLogic^™ requires minimal foundation work, eliminating the risk of damage to the tank bottom plates.” He also notes that application is much easier than inserting anodes into narrow spaces created to meet modern leak containment regulations.
3.  Do you want to minimize explosion concerns in hazardous zones?
   Kang explains, “Unlike ICCP [impressed current cathodic protection], CorroLogic^™ requires no electrical power or complex wiring, removing the need for specialized explosion-proof installations in high-risk fuel farm environments.”
4. Do you need redundant corrosion protection in case of power failure or anode depletion?
   Kang reminds operators that, “In high-consequence environments like airports, having CorroLogic^™ as a secondary layer ensures protection continues even if the CP system suffers a power failure or an anode reaches its end-of-life.”
5. Do you want to improve your predictive maintenance success?
   Kang believes that combining CorroLogic^™ with good monitoring makes maintenance schedules more predictable and repairs more cost-effective by avoiding more serious problems.
6. Are you concerned about fuel supply interruptions?
   Kang explains, “Traditional internal inspections require taking a tank out of service—a major logistical headache for high-traffic fuel farms. . . . When integrated into a Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) program, industry standards (such as API 653) may allow for the deferral of internal inspections or the extension of inspection intervals.”
7. Do you want to amplify existing AST protection?
   As many have noted, Kang points out that CorroLogic^™ protection fills in the gaps of CP protection (e.g., uneven tank floors out of contact with the sand pad) and, as research indicates, “combining both systems can actually improve overall performance….” 

If you manage an airport tank farm and answered “yes” to more than one of these questions, now is a good time to consider adding CorroLogic^™ to your AST preventative maintenance plan. While these advantages pair beautifully with aviation goals, they are applicable to any industrial tank farm that demands high standards of reliability, safety, and efficiency. Contact Cortec^® today to learn more about CorroLogic^™ protection and authorized CorroLogic^® applicators around the globe.

*Authorized applicator of CorroLogic™ for ASTs in Asia.

Keywords: Cortec, CorroLogic, soil-side corrosion, corrosion protection, tank farm maintenance, corrosion prevention at airports, fuel storage safety, aboveground storage tank maintenance, cathodic protection alternatives, AMPP certified cathodic protection specialist

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