Executive Summary
- Oil tank decommissioning is the process of making a heating oil tank unusable by either filling it with sand or a foamy substance, removing it from the ground, or permanently sealing its cap.
- Decommissioning oil tanks guarantees they do not present any hazards or contamination risks, making it crucial for regulatory compliance and environmental safety.
- Decommissioning an oil tank may require obtaining permits, cleaning and preparing the tank, removing and disposing of it, conducting site remediation, and concluding with a final inspection and documentation.
- Companies like Alpha Environmental can guarantee regulatory compliance by properly documenting every phase of the decommissioning process, from preliminary assessments to cleanup operations and final inspections.
Understanding How Oil Tank Decommissioning Works
Heating oil tank decommissioning is the process of rendering a heating oil tank unusable. Decommissioning an underground storage tank (UST) usually involves withdrawing all the contents, permanently sealing the tank shut, or filling the tank with a foamy substance or sand to prevent further use. In some cases, environmental professionals may perform a full-blown tank removal to withdraw the tank entirely from the property. All tanks or parts less than 5 feet below ground level in Portland, Oregon, must be removed.
Oil tank decommissioning ensures that retired tanks do not pose risks of contamination or hazards, making it essential for environmental safety and regulatory compliance. Knowing about the decommissioning process and how a reliable environmental remediation company like Alpha Environmental can help with such is crucial to maintaining your property.
Decommissioning an oil tank may involve obtaining permits, cleaning and preparing the tank, removing and disposing of the tank, and performing environmental remediation throughout the site before performing a final inspection and documenting the results.
When Should a Heating Oil Tank Be Decommissioned?
Over 542,000 USTs in the United States hold petroleum or hazardous materials. Moreover, in 2023, roughly 57,437 UST releases were not cleaned up, posing the threat of contamination to various ecosystems.
To avoid polluting the environment, all oil tanks should be decommissioned when they are no longer being used, but the urgency depends on the tank’s condition. If the tank is old, damaged, or leaking, it must be decommissioned and the site remediated as soon as possible to mitigate environmental risks and ensure regulatory compliance.
If you are selling an office or a house with an underground heating oil tank, it is imperative to have it decommissioned. Under ORS 105.464, Oregon residents must inform buyers of their knowledge of underground heating oil tanks on the property, which can be a deal breaker for many because of the dangers of heating oil tanks.
Routine, professional-led inspections can help determine when decommissioning is necessary to promote the safety of the property’s inhabitants and the surrounding ecosystem. You should consult a trustworthy environmental remediation company to determine when your tank should be decommissioned.
Initial Assessment
Many environmental remediators will start the decommissioning process by performing a thorough site assessment to gauge the project’s scope. Some steps that the remediator or a subcontracted ground penetrating radar (GPR) professional may perform during this assessment include:
- Identifying the tank’s location, size, and condition – Sometimes, the tank’s physical state may complicate a full tank removal, making it easier for professionals to fill it with an inert substance or permanently seal it.
- Testing the nearby soil – Testing the soil surrounding the tank for indications of pollution can help professionals locate spills or leaks and determine if remediation of contaminated soil is necessary to avoid harm to the ecosystem.
Both of the above steps are pivotal to the planning process, giving the environmental remediators a better understanding of how much effort and time the project will take. Additionally, this process can help professionals provide you with an estimate of the cost of decommissioning an oil tank.
It is essential to consult an experienced environmental remediation company like Alpha Environmental to ensure you receive accurate and comprehensive assessments.
Obtaining Necessary Permits
Under OAR 340-150-0168, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) mandates that the owner, permittee, or their registered service provider submit a general permit registration form and a notice of intent to decommission a UST or change its service at least thirty days before the start of the process.
Portland, Oregon’s TRN-10.14 policy outlines additional requirements for decommissioning oil tanks, necessitating excavation to remove soil contaminated by items leaking or spilling from the tank. Removing any tanks or portions of them less than five feet below the surface is also required. The applicant must obtain the Fire Marshal’s permit before decommissioning can begin. The applicant must also seek permission from the City Engineer if the tank is situated inside a public right-of-way. Regardless of whether the DEQ requires a permit, both the abovementioned permits are needed throughout Portland.
If someone decommissions or removes an oil tank without the proper permits, they may incur legal penalties like fines. It is best to rely on a well-educated environmental remediation company like Alpha Environmental, which has sufficient knowledge and experience navigating the permitting process for decommissioning oil tanks in Portland, Oregon, to save you from legal consequences.
Tank Cleaning and Preparation
Before decommissioning and removing a heating oil tank, it is vital to ensure it is free of hazardous materials to avoid contamination during transportation. Leaks, spills, or other tank-related accidents can release contaminants into the surrounding soil, negatively affecting the ecosystem.
Cleaning is essential to prepare the tank for the decommissioning process. Some steps involved in cleaning a heating oil tank are:
- Taking proper safety precautions – The professionals should ensure the area is properly ventilated and free of bystanders. They should also wear personal protective gear to avoid contact with the tank’s substances.
- Draining remaining oil – The professionals may use a vacuum truck or pump system to extract the remaining oil from the retired tank.
- Clearing out remaining sludge – Thicker, sludgy residue may still be present on the tank’s interior walls, requiring more detailed or manual removal.
- Cleaning the interior – Many professionals use high-pressure water jets or cleaning solutions to thoroughly wash the tank’s interior walls and remove residual oil and contaminants clinging to the tank surfaces.
- Drying the tank – To remove leftover water or cleaning agents, the specialist may leave the tank exposed to open air until it dries fully.
- Dispose of contents – The professionals will discard any waste oil, sludge, or cleaning materials per environmental regulations, likely using facilities with licenses to dispose of hazardous waste.
After the tank has been cleaned and prepared for decommissioning, the environmental remediators can safely remove it or fill it with an inert substance like sand.
Oil Tank Safe Removal and Disposal
Environmental remediators usually follow a very strategic process for safely excavating and removing a heating oil tank from the ground. The following steps will likely be executed during your oil tank removal.
Excavation
The professionals should ensure the space is free of utilities and install appropriate fencing and signage. Then, they will use tools and machinery, such as excavators and shovels, to carefully unearth the tank while causing as little disruption as possible to the nearby structures and soil.
Removal
The remediators will likely use cranes or other lifting machines to raise the tank tactically out of the excavation site and move it to a predetermined location for disposal. During transportation, the professionals will take measures to avoid soil and groundwater contamination, such as using absorbent materials to catch minor spills and leaks or lining the transportation path with protective tarps.
Disposal
The remediators will work within local regulations, recycling or sending the tank to a licensed disposal facility. They may also mark potentially contaminated soil so that it can be remediated after the tank is disposed of.
Cleanup
The three most common forms of cleanup are:
- Soil matrix cleanup – The remediators will remove contaminated soil from the area to protect the environment.
- Risk-based decision-making cleanup – The professionals will determine whether to handle leftover contamination in its current location or remove it depending on the danger it poses to human and environmental health.
- General remedy cleanup – Remediators will likely implement a limited risk assessment for lower-risk sites with minimal contamination.
In addition to decommissioning and removing your oil tank, environmental remediation companies can ensure your property is safe and free of dangerous levels of contaminants through their remediation efforts.
Professional Underground Storage Tank Services
Alpha Environmental supports you with your underground storage tank, providing tank sweeps, tank decommisioning, UST removal, and more.
Site Remediation
Environmental professionals will determine whether the site needs remediation after taking soil samples from the area where the heating oil tank was and testing them to determine the amount of oil present.
Most contaminated soil remediation methods involve digging up the oil-saturated soil, loading it onto a dump truck, and taking it to a licensed facility for disposal. The hole will be filled with uncontaminated soil and retested to prevent future environmental hazards.
Final Inspection and Documentation
When decommissioning a tank, a final inspection is essential to confirm that all procedures have been followed in compliance with regulations and to make sure that no dangers or pollutants are left behind. By meticulously recording each stage, from early evaluations to cleanup activities and final inspections, you can guarantee that the process was successful. Talented remediation companies like Alpha Environmental create thorough reports to ensure regulatory compliance and provide transparency—we also outline how we have protected environmental integrity and adhered to strict standards throughout the decommissioning process.
Why Choose Alpha Environmental for Oil Tank Decommissioning
Oil tank decommissioning refers to the process of making a heating oil tank unusable by techniques such as sand or foam filling, lifting the tank out of the ground, or permanently sealing its cap. Ensuring compliance with regulationsles and mitigating environmental risks are some of the most noteworthy reasons to have an unused heating oil tank decommissioned. Decommissioning an underground storage tank usually entails acquiring permits, cleaning, removing, and disposing of the tank, remediating the site, and doing a final inspection.
Alpha Environmental has considerable experience performing different types of oil tank decommissioning services like tank removals in the greater Portland, Oregon area. Our talented team is familiar with local ordinances and the permitting process, ensuring that your property complies with regulations. We can also perform hazardous waste disposal and other remediation services that your property may need if it has been contaminated by oil.
Contact Alpha Environmental today to understand how your oil tank should be decommissioned.
