June 3, 2025
How to choose a tightness-testing company for your station in Panama
By Lic. Miroslava Alonzo
Sales Lead
Hiring a company to perform the tightness test of a service station in Panama is not a trivial decision. The test produces a technical document the operator needs for filings before the National Energy Secretariat, the Ministry of Environment, the Fire Department and other authorities. If the document is not done well — or if the provider disappears in six months and there is no longer anyone to call for the next test — the problem stays on the operator's side. This guide describes the objective criteria worth reviewing before awarding the job.
1. That the equipment they use is internationally recognized
A tightness test is not done with just any pressure gauge. It is done with certified test equipment, a documented protocol and a verifiable result. One example is the MESA equipment from ATS Environmental Services, which performs the test under Test Method #900 using digital acoustic analysis. The test result is produced by the equipment's software — pass or fail — and is documented with the technical parameters of the test. Ask the provider what equipment they use, what method, and request to see a sample of the record they deliver to the client.
2. That the technical personnel are trained in the protocol
Having the equipment is a requirement, but not sufficient. The personnel performing the test must be trained in the manufacturer's official protocol. In the case of MESA, there is a formal ATS training that qualifies the technician to operate the equipment under Method #900. A serious provider can document the training of its technicians.
3. That the company has a specific track record in fuel stations
A service station is not a generic industrial-maintenance project. It has its own standards, its own materials, its own risks and its own chain of regulatory authorities. A company that has built, maintained and certified stations for decades understands how an underground tank behaves, how a containment chamber is installed, which components degrade with ethanol blends and what the authority expects to find in a technical file. Verify how many years the company has been operating and whether its core business is fuel infrastructure — not air conditioning, not general electrical work, not generic industrial maintenance with stations as just another line.
4. That it is a member of an international industry association
Membership in associations such as the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) is an indicator that the company is connected with international best practices in the fuel-station equipment sector. It is not a magic seal, but it is a sign that the company takes its technical field seriously and stays current.
5. That it delivers a complete documentation package
A well-delivered tightness test includes, at a minimum:
- Digital test record: produced by the equipment's software, with the pass/fail result and the test parameters.
- Signed technical report by the responsible engineer.
- Photographic record of the work.
- Calibration certificates where applicable.
- Technical recommendations if observations are detected.
If a provider delivers only a paper with a signature and nothing else, the operator is left vulnerable the day an authority asks for technical backup. Ask to see an example of the package before hiring.
6. That it offers the full cycle when the test does not pass
Sooner or later, a tightness test will return a «fail» result. That is normal. What sets a competent provider apart is what happens the next day. A full-service provider executes the finding-closure cycle: locating the leak, repairing or replacing tanks, lines and accessories, environmental remediation where applicable, reinstallation and a new MESA test to document the closure. If the provider only does the test and tells the client «call someone else», the operator ends up cross-checking information between two or three contractors, with the risk that one of them leaves loose ends.
7. That it has a stable operating base and verifiable clients
A company with a physical headquarters, its own equipment and a verifiable client portfolio — distributors, fleets, station operators, public institutions — is a provider that will still exist next year when the next test is due. An ad-hoc company assembled for one project and then gone is not a long-term ally for an installation with a service life of decades.
Master Services against these criteria
Master Services is a Panamanian company founded in 1978, with 48 years of continuous operation dedicated exclusively to fuel-station infrastructure. We use the MESA 1-D / 2-D equipment from ATS Environmental Services, our technicians are trained in the official protocol, and we perform the test under Method #900.
We are members of the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI). Our clients include Delta, Texaco, Puma, Terpel, Ultra, MIT, CLH, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and the Government of Panama. Since our beginnings we have served more than 350 service stations across the country and have executed more than 17,000 field service orders across corrective and preventive maintenance and calibrations. Our headquarters are at Edificio Grupo Master, Villa Lucre, Panama City.
We deliver the complete documentation package — MESA record, signed technical report, photographic record, calibration certificates and technical recommendations — and we offer the full cycle of diagnosis, repair and re-testing when the station does not pass.
To request a quote or schedule a tightness test: +507-274-0836 · info@masterservices.org.