Challenge
RD Petroleum markets and distributes bulk fuel, lubricants, and petroleum-related products across New Zealand's rural, residential, and commercial sectors. In August 2018, RD Petroleum upgraded their aviation fuel site at Franz Josef Glacier, replacing five smaller existing tanks with a single premium tank.
Beyond the tank itself, the project came with a significant logistics challenge: getting a 60,000-litre tank from Fuelchief's facility in Bromley, on New Zealand's East Coast, to Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast, a route that crosses the Southern Alps and includes some of the most remote terrain in the country.
Solution
Fuelchief built a custom SuperVault aviation tank for the site, working closely with the RD Petroleum team to make sure the finished tank met all compliance requirements for aviation fuel storage. The design included a marine-grade aluminium walkway on top of the tank, giving safe access for refuelling operations in the site's coastal, high-moisture environment.
Result
The 60,000-litre SuperVault was successfully transported across the country and installed on site, replacing the five individual tanks that previously served the location. Consolidating down to a single tank simplified maintenance and reduced the number of potential leak points across the site, delivering a more economical and environmentally sound fuel storage solution for RD Petroleum.
Franz Josef Glacier's helipads see regular traffic from aviation tour operators throughout the day. To keep refuelling fast and straightforward for RD Petroleum's customers, the upgrade included eight pumps and Carnet Card access, letting operators refuel quickly between trips.
Got a remote or complex fuel storage project coming up? Get in touch with our team to talk through a custom solution.
