EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PETROLEUM STORAGE AREAS AND PIPELINE SYSTEM, VINH AREA, NORTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04560A006900010012-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2000
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: April 1, 1970
• Content Type: REPORT

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PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION
REPORT
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PETROLEUM
STORAGE AREAS AND PIPELINE SYSTEM,
VINH AREA,
NORTH VIETNAM
25X1 C
R-20/70
APRIL 1970
AUTOMATIC D W RADI
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This document contains information affecting
the national defense of the United States,
within the meaning of Title 18, sections
793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as amended.
Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is
prohibited by law.
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EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PETROLEUM STORAGE
AREAS AND PIPELINE SYSTEM, VINH AREA, NORTH VIETNAM
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There has been a gradual expansion and improvement of POL storage facilities
and associated pipelines in the Vinh area of North Vietnam during the past six
months. This has resulted in increased storage capacity and the capability to
distribute POL products throughout the North Vietnamese Panhandle and into the
Laotian logistical network. The total POL storage capacity in the Vinh area
now exceeds 8,000 metric tons, ranking it third behind Haiphong and Hanoi. At
25X1 D least 10 percent of this capacity has been added since with the
expansion of several facilities continuing.
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ABSTRACT 25X1 D
POL storage facilities and associated pipelines in the Vinh area of North
Vietnam have been expanded and improved during the period from to
The storage capacity of this area now exceeds 8,000 metric tons,
at least 10 percent of which has been added since Expansion
of several facilities is continuing.
This report describes 14 POL storage areas in Vinh and its environs and con-
tains text, an annotated map, a table of installations showing capacities and
improvements, and four photos.
There are l4 petroleum storage facilities containing partially underground
(PUG) tanks within a 5-nautical-mile (nm) radius of the Vinh Citadel (Figure 1).
Four have been recently expanded and there are indications that the largest
facility (Vinh) is also being prepared for expansion. These facilities serve
as reserve storage and input points for the POL pipe system originating at Vinh
and extending into the Route 15- Mu Gia Pass area of North Vietnam and Laos.
Two of the major facilities, the Vinh Petroleum Products Storage Area (PPS)
and the adjoining Yen Dung PPS No. 2, are located on the north bank of the Song
Ca (river) and provide storage and input points for petroleum products intro-
duced into the pipeline system via small coastal oilers and barges. Expansion
of the storage capacity of the Vinh PPS has at least temporarily terminated with
64 pipe-served tanks in place. The service road into unused portions of the
facility is being improved, however, and clearing of destroyed tanks and expan-
sion of storage capacity may follow.
No current expansion is apparent at Yen Dung No. 2. This PPS contains 102
pipe-served storage tanks and is probably used primarily to handle excess input
to the Vinh PPS. Three pipelines connect the two facilities.
The previously aboveground or semiburied tanks at the Vinh Northwest Pipe-
line Depot are being earth bunkered (Figure 2). Since first observed under 25X1 D
construction, this storage area has been continually expanded, with approxi-
mately one-third (24 tanks) of its present capacity added since
Seventy-four pipe-served interconnected tanks are currently in use at this PPS
and 21 additional storage tanks observed within or near the facility will
probably be added. The Vinh Northwest Pipeline Depot serves as the major storage
and pipeline input site for petroleum deliveries to Vinh via rail tank cars.
A new 12.2-nm pipeline segment was constructed south-southwest from the depot
between This line connects the facility with
the original north-south pipeline southwest of Vinh and bypasses a 20.8-nm
portion of the original pipe system. 25X1 D
25X1 D Expansion of the Vinh My Thon Citadel PPS is now apparently complete with
33 storage tanks added between (Figure 3).
A total of 68 PUG tanks are located at the facility. Although this PPS is the
fourth largest in the Vinh area, it is not pipe served and is probably used for
local traffic and logistics support.
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--JOINS ORIGINAL
..NORTH-SOUTH
M:PIPELINE 7.5 NM
LAOS CVINH
EMT,
'SOUTH
VIETNAM,
PIPELINE NEW SINCE
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TEM NUMBERS 'KEY
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POL STORAGE FACILITIES, VINH AREA, NORTH VIETNAM
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Table 1. Petroleum Storage, Vinh and Surrounding Area, North Vietnam (Item Numbers Keyed to Figure 1)
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Estimated
Storage Tanks in Use**
Petroleum Products
GeograP hic
Capacity
Item
Storage Area (PPS)
BE Number
Coordinates
(MT of
Total Above Ground PUG
Remarks
Gasoline )-s
18-40-09N
2,616
64
28
@ 21 MT
34
@ 21. MT
105-43-15E
51
@ 21 MT
15
@ 6 MT
3
18-40-02N
105-43-o6E
1,191
102
17
2
@ 21 MT
@ 10 MT
79
4
@ 10 MT
@ 6 MT
4.
Vinh My Thon
18-40-05N
1,065
68
35
@ 21 MT
33
@ 10 MT
46
@ 10 MT
6.
Gia Hoa
18-38-OON
454
30
14
@ 21 MT
105-42-44E
16
@ 10 MT
7.
Vinh Xom Dong
18-43-34N
170
17
105-4o-loE
8.
Vinh North No. 2
18-40-17N
350
35
35
@ 10 MT
105-40-55E
9.
Yen Xa East
18-41-47N
147
7
7
@ 21 MT
105-40-41E
10.
Vinh/Xuan Yen
18-41-29N
60
10
10
@ 6 MT
105-40-38E
11.
Yen The
15--40
60
6
6
@ 10 MT
105-604o-4oK
12.
Ngo Xa
05-42-22E
50
5
5
@ 10 MT
105-42-22E
13.
Vinh/Yen Pai
18-42-31N
36
6
105-4o-18E
14.
Yen Dung Trans-
18-39-16N
30
3
3
@ 10 MT
shipment Point
105-42-118E
* To obtain capacity in gallons of gasoline) multiply by 315.
To obtain capacity in cubic meters (metric tons of water) multiply by 1.19.
** These storage tanks are generally rated at either 21, 10, or 6 metric ton gasoline capacity.
Because exact capacities are difficult to estimate, especially when tanks are bunkered,
capacities stated in this publication represent the best estimates and caution should be
exercised in further quotation.
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Pipeline-associated major terminal for waterborne
POL deliveries. Cotal tanks also include 2
underground tanks remaining from the pre-strike
facility, each rated at 636 MT.
Pipeline associated and rail served. 21 tanks
@ 21 MT will probably be added.
Pipeline associated. Provides storage for water-
borne POL deliveries. 5 tanks @ 21 MTT may be
added.
Storage for local or logistics operations. Two
tanks @ 21 MT and 4 tanks @ 10 `,IT will probably
be added.
Pipeline associated and located near airfield.
20 new excavations remain empty.
Provides storage for logistics operations. POL
drum filling operation at facility.
Storage area includes tanks dispersed over a wide
area, some of which are probably not in use.
Storage is probably for local/logistics operations.
Storage is for local use. Probably associated
with collocated vehicle maintenance area.
Storage area appears to be in disuse and is
probably abandoned.
Probably for local use.
Probably for local use.
Storage area appears to be in disuse and is
probably abandoned.
Storage area appears to be in disuse and is
probably abandoned.
FIGURE 2. VINH NORTHWEST PIPELINE DEPOT, NORTH VIETNAM
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25X1 D 25X1 D FIGURE 3. VINH MY THON CITADEL PPS, NORTH VIETNAM
FLGU t~E 4. GIA HOA PPS, NORTH VIETNAM
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After several years of disuse, the Gia Hoa PPS has been reactivated Figure
4). Thirty PUG tanks are observed at the storage area on
13 of these had been added since Gia Hoa is located on Route 1A. 25X1 D
near the south bank of the Song Ca and is probably also being used primarily
for logistics support. The continued presence of stacks of several thousand
POL drums indicates that one of the main functions of Gia Hoa is drum filling.
Drums filled here are probably shipped via cargo truck to support logistics
traffic further south. A short pipeline has been constructed from the south
bank of the Song Ca into the storage area and will probably be used to service
the PPS with deliveries from small POL coasters or barges. Gia Hoa does not
presently appear to be integrated into the Vinh pipeline system.
Two petroleum storage areas, the Vinh PPS North Underground and the Vinh
PPS Xom Dong, are located in the vicinity of Vinh Airfield, where one or both
may be used in support of air operations. The latest photographic coverage of
the Vinh PPS North UG indicates that it is being expanded (Figure 5). Due to
overgrowth and the wide dispersal of individual storage tanks, the original
area and capacity of this facility are difficult to assess. However, only 11
bunkered tanks had been identified prior to at which time 55
new excavations were observed, 35 of which contained tanks.
These new storage tanks are being interconnected by pipe with a trunk line
which has been extended south toward Vinh. Lack of photographic coverage
prevents complete identification of this trunk line, but it probably joins the
Vinh pipe system in the vicinity of the Vinh Northwest Pipeline Depot.
As of the Vinh Xom Dong PPS, located 700 meters (2,296
feet) southwest of the Vinh Airfield, contained 17 individually bunkered tanks
and six empty excavations.
In addition to these seven petroleum storage facilities, at least seven
other storage areas have been identified within the 5-nm radium of Vinh Citadel.
Most of these were established during the early period of bombing (1965-66)
and several now appear to be in disuse or abandoned. Table 1 provides the most
current information available on these facilities.
Approximately 110 aboveground storage tanks were counted on photography of
which are not represented in total capacity figures in Table 1.
These tanks, located within or near existing storage facilities or scattered
in several locations throughout the Vinh area, are not currently in use. If
these tanks were utilized to increase or expand the POL storage, an estimated
1,400 metric tons of additional storage capacity would be added to the Vinh
Complex.
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FIGURE 5. VINH PPS NORTH UNDERGROUND, NORTH VIETNAM
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IMAGERY 25X1 D
MAPS AND CHARTS
AID. Series L7014, Sheet 61+6-III, scale 1:500,000 (-UNCLASSIFIED)
REQUIREMENT
NPIC Project 172002NJ
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