# US 12,000,720 B2 · Product inventory monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,720 B2 - Document ID: US12000720B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/562,866 - Filed: 2019-09-06 - Published: 2020-03-12 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-10 - Assignees: Marathon Petroleum Company LP - Applicants: Marathon Petroleum Company LP - Inventors: Gerald E. Langlois, III; Hubie M. Bartlett; James Wilhelm; Mike Huber; Daniel Leslie; Timothy E. Heck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000720B2 ## CPC - G01F 1/007: {by measuring the level variations of storage tanks relative to the time} - G01F 23/0007: {for discrete indicating and measuring (G01F23/02 - G01F23/28 take precedence)} - G01F 23/30: by floats - G01F 23/804: {containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level} - G01F 25/20: of apparatus for measuring liquid level - G01M 3/2876: {for valves (G01M3/30 takes precedence)} - G01M 3/3245: {using a level monitoring device (G01M3/3272 takes precedence)} - G01F 15/063: using electrical means - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The present invention defines six unexpected benefits resulting from the automation of and improvements to inventory reconciliation and tank level monitoring at tank farms, terminals and refineries, commonly associated with refining and the transportation of, hydrocarbon fuels. In the implementation of an automated system for tank level monitoring and periodic inventory reconciliation, it has been discovered that both applications can be used to correctly identify maintenance needs and policy violations that were previously unable to be identified. The benefits include identification of thermal relief valve failure, transmix check valve failure, lock out/tag out failure, floating roof landing, and incorrect tank assignments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring, determining, and initiating a fuel storage and refinery equipment inventory and maintenance needs, the method comprising: determining inventory reconciliation at one or more of a plurality of storage tanks, the inventory reconciliation including: capturing, in real-time, actual values of physical book data of the one or more of a plurality of storage tanks via tank gauge levels, the actual values indicating one or more properties of the inventory, the one or more properties including tank volume, tank level, rack meter values, pipeline movements, marine movements, or a combination thereof, and comparing the actual values of the physical book data with predicted values of the physical book data to detect a real-time deviation from the predicted values, the real-time deviation indicating a discrepancy in the one or more properties of the inventory; comparing the real-time deviation to a predetermined limit to detect a malfunction at the one or more of a plurality of storage tanks; comparing the malfunction at the one or more of a plurality of storage tanks with the discrepancy in the one or more properties of the inventory to identify one or more maintenance needs, the one or more maintenance needs including a thermal relief valve failure and a floating roof landing; and indicating the one or more maintenance needs responsive to the identification of the one or more maintenance needs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predicted values originate from one or more of a plurality of sources, the one or more of a plurality of sources including tank gauge levels, rack meters, bills of lading, pipeline meters, marine meters, planned movements, flow rates, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising correcting the one or more maintenance needs, the correction including modifying a planned movement, entering a volume offset, replacing the failed thermal relief valve, replacing a failed check valve, locking out a tank, updating a tank assignment, floating a floating tank roof, updating a tank receipt mode, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing the malfunction at the one or more of a plurality of storage tanks with the discrepancy in the one or more properties of the inventory occurs every 1 hour, 4 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more maintenance needs further include a missing lockout/tagout, a check valve failure, an incorrect tank assignment, a tank in receipt mode, a pipeline delay detection, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the number of occurrences of the malfunction over a period of time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the number of occurrences of the malfunction is compared with the discrepancy in the one or more properties of the inventory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined limit is based on expected values from planned movements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the actual values of physical book data over a period of time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the predicted values of the physical book data include the previously captured actual values of the physical book data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more maintenance needs further include a missing lockout/tagout. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more properties of the physical book data includes the tank level of product within the one or more of a plurality of storage tanks, and wherein the capturing occurs at least during a truck loading and after a truck loading. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the real-time deviation comprises an increase in the tank level of product, and wherein the predetermined limit comprises the expected level of product after a truck loading. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the real-time deviation comprises a decrease in the tank level of product, and wherein the predetermined limit comprises the expected level of product after a truck loading. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maintenance need further includes improper tank assignment.