Tank Material

Not enough information. Chemistry is one thing to check.

ASTM A36.

Link to ASTM A36.

A36, A283 ...........

http://www.sabimet.com/acero%20estruc%20construc.pdf

The majority of the customers we sell to order A36, why? because its cheaper. You can go to A516-70 which is little more than A36 HC, but due to the higher C is a bit more difficult to weld.

Yes, I agree. Sometimes you have to turn to other options.

You may need to investigate several choices by economics. Stronger material, such as A516-70, may allow you to use thinner pieces. If the tank is in a cold location, this may affect the choice. Etc. No single answer is likely to fit all situations.

It all depends on what your conditions are. Lots of input for A36 from the posters, but, you can use about any grade you want, it just has to be designed accordingly. Some things to consider:

Corrosion resistance - any mild steel will have to be painted and maintained. You can look at "weathering" steel(forgot the actual grade) which does not require painting. It's commonly used in bridge construction and is just as easy to fabricate as mild steel. It is also available for cold weather application in slightly different grade.

Installation site/access - are there restrictions for equipment/personnel to install. May want to look at a higher strength steel to reduce the overall weight. The decreased weight of the higher strength steel may offset the lower cost per pound of plain old A36. As a structural fabricator we often convinced our customer to use a 50W material in place of lower strength grades as a cost saving(in most of my cases in high rise buildings in NYC).

You should probably seek out a consultant to look at all your conditions.

You can look at "weathering" steel(forgot the actual grade) which does not require paintingA588! This is not normally used for storage tanks due to the much higher cost.This material has high Cr and Cu and is more difficult to weld.

The weld parameters have to change a little. It's been a long time since I did any bridge fabrication and we used mostly SAW so my flux/wire combination was different but not that hard to get the proper WPS and use existing equipment. I don't recall the added $/lb either. Just a thought I had. Want the OP to be aware of all possible options.

I hear the crickets chirping!

Hey......OP..... Answer a few questions?

1. Typical weather and temperature of the tank location?
2. Soil type of where the tank will be constructed?
3. Tank foundation?
4. Size of tank? Diameter? Height?
5. Wall thickness of tank?
6. Size of pump attached to the tank?
7. Temperature of oil / crude as it enters / exits the tank?
8. What is your interest in this tank design?
9. Are you an Engineer? Student? Hobbyist?
10. Is this a homework assignment?

Sounds like it is time to hire a consultant, if the project is really going to proceed. From all the comments, the OP has lots to mull over.

Does "best" steel mean the cheapest ? It usually does for most purchasers..

A36 steel is usually the cheapest choice for most locations (not acceptable for tanks located in very cold locations)

The total tank cost is also strongly affected by (1) your choice of accessories (manholes, vents, roof style) (2) your choice of paint/coatings and (3) foundation design necessary for the tank location.... In some locations, the cost of the foundation can exceed the cost of the tank.

Other considerations that affect cost are anchorage, the need for seismic tank design and design for high wind conditions (coastal tank)

All you've got to do is find the facility's most applicable standard. Go and look it up there.

Yes you may. Now seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened there unto you, ask and you shall be given.

The best one for constructing the tank is the one grade that will not fail due to cold weather limits in the zone where tank will be installed, and the cost of that grade being the lowest available cost. Corrosion issues all can be appropriately dealt with in the order of their appearance. If this is sweet crude oil, then the corrosion protection is slightly less than for a West Texas Sour Crude Oil. You will need to consult on that with an industry professional, sorry.

A36 is cheaper and it is OK for shell which can be easily maintained. But for bottom plate, which are placed on concrete foundation or sand filling; best suited is A283-C.