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US EPA Suggestions for Abandoning Underground or Oil Storage Tanks (UST)
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• How to abandon a buried oil tank in place
• Oil tank abandonment regulations
• Heating oil tank abandonment guidance from the US EPA

This document explains the US EPA detailed suggestions on how to properly "abandon" or close an underground petroleum storage tank in place, that is, without having to excavate and remove it. This procedure is permitted if tests show that the tank has not leaked, and it can save a significant amount of the cost of oil tank removal and site repair to fill in the hole left behind. We have made minor edits to the original document for clarity and we include links to additional and more detailed information about oil storage tanks and other environmental concerns.

Proper oil storage tank abandonment requires the use of good engineering practices, including consideration of the future condition of the tank. While the original of this article focused on commercial oil storage tanks, the concerns and steps should be examined by those abandoning residential oil tanks as well. Readers of this page should see The Oil Storage Tank Website.

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Here are the U.S. EPA Recommendations for Temporary or Permanent Abandonment of Underground Oil Storage Tanks with additional text and illustrations by InspectAPedia.com.

How Do You Close Underground Oil Storage Tanks?

Oil storage tank closure is one way to help protect human health and the environment, particularly groundwater, from the threats posed by many older underground storage tanks. You can close your UST [underground oil storage tank or other underground storage tanks such as for farm diesel fuel or other liquids]] temporarily or permanently. In either case, [oil or diesel storage] tanks must be closed properly.

[Failure to properly close a storage tank risks:

• leaks and costly environmental cleanup requirements
• collapses of buried tanks which can be dangerous
• property resale or financing hurdles]

How do you Close an Oil Storage Tank Temporarily

• Continue to monitor the tank for leaks by maintaining the UST's leak detection. (If your UST is empty, you do not need to maintain leak detection.) Also, continue to monitor and maintain any corrosion protection systems. If a release is discovered, quickly stop the release, notify your regulatory authority, and take appropriate action to clean up the site.
• If the UST remains temporarily closed for more than 3 months, leave vent lines open, but cap and secure all other lines, pumps, manways, and ancillary equipment.
• [DF: if the underground oil storage tank is to remain unused for more than 3 months contact your heating oil supplier to obtain the proper oil additives to preserve the usability of the stored heating oil. See HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE]

After 12 months of temporary closure of an oil storage tank, you have three options:

[DF: our photo (left) shows an improperly "abandoned" oil storage tank that was buried next to a stream in Rhinebeck, NY. During local flooding the tank floated up and exposed itself. Don't do this.

EPA's choices are:]

1. You must permanently close your UST if it doesn't meet the applicable requirements for new or upgraded USTs (except for spill and overfill).
2. You can ask your regulatory authority for an extension beyond 12 months, if you provide an assessment that determines whether contamination is present at your site.
3. Your UST can remain temporarily closed without needing an extension granted by the regulatory authority if the UST meets the applicable requirements for new or upgraded USTs (except for spill and overfill) and the requirements noted above for temporary closure.

• [DF: if the underground oil storage tank is to remain closed longer than 18-24 months we recommend that you have the tank pumped out - see HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE. You will also need to check the tank condition and remove any water in the tank before it is returned to service. Be warned that a buried oil tank that has been pumped out may "float up" out of the ground (see FLOATING UP OIL STORAGE or SEPTIC TANKS) but leaving oil stored in a tank for too long may result in un-usable heating oil or diesel fuel when you restore the tank to service. ]

How do I Close an Oil Storage Tank Permanently

• Notify the regulatory authority [for your state or province] at least 30 days before you close your UST.
• Determine if contamination from your UST is present in the surrounding environment. If there is contamination, you may have to take corrective action. For at least 3 years, keep a record of the actions you take to determine if contamination is present at the site (or you can mail this record to your regulatory authority).
• Either remove the UST from the ground or leave it in the ground. In both cases, the tank must be emptied and cleaned by removing all liquids, dangerous vapor levels, and accumulated sludge. These potentially very hazardous actions need to be carried out carefully by trained professionals who follow standard safety practices. If you leave the UST in the ground, have it filled with a harmless, chemically inactive solid, like sand.

Safe Closure Is A Must

People who do not follow standard safety practices are killed or injured every year while closing or removing tanks. For a safe closure, you need qualified professionals who will use standard safety practices.

[DF: in addition to EPA's serious safety warning just above we add this property resale and contamination warning: we also have encountered "do it yourself" oil tank removal cases which prevented the owner from selling their home due to either an actual oil leak contamination of soils or the inability to document a proper oil tank removal.]

For more information on standard safety practices, UST owners and closure contractors should refer to "Closure of Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks," API Recommended Practice 1604 (1996), which is available from the American Petroleum Institute, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, or call (202) 682-8000 for assistance. You can also visit API's Web site.

The video and companion booklet called "Tank Closure Without Tears: An Inspector's Safety Guide" are available from the New England Interstate Environmental Training Center at (978) 323-7929. You can also visit NEIWPCC's Web site.

Regulations addressing reporting of oil tank leaks and oil tank abandonment of oil tanks written various state and federal authorities are discussed in more detail at OIL TANK REGULATIONS - "Buried Tank and Above Ground Oil Tank Leak Reporting & Tank Abandonment Regulations"

Be sure to review the details on oil tank abandonment procedures at

• INDOOR OIL TANK ABANDONMENT
• OUTDOOR TANK ABANDONMENT
• OIL TANK BANDONMENT REGULATIONS
• Avoiding cave-ins at old oil storage tanks, removing old fuel from oil storage tanks, and how to use up your heating oil before abandoning an oil tank are discussed in detail beginning at the first page of this series of articles - see OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE

Be SURE that the tank filler and vent are totally removed lest you get an un-wanted oil delivery. Don't laugh, it happens.

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OIL TANK HOME
  HOME BUYERS GUIDE TO OIL TANKS
ABANDONING OIL TANKS
ABOVE GROUND OIL TANK INSPECTIONS
BURIED OIL TANK ADVICE
BURIED OIL TANKS, FINDING
FLOATING UP OIL STORAGE or SEPTIC TANKS
FUEL OIL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS
HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS
HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE
OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE
OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES
OIL TANK FAILURE RATES
OIL TANK GAUGES
OIL TANK INSPECTION REPORTS
OIL TANK DEFECT INSPECTION
OIL TANK PIPING DEFECTS
OIL TANK LEGAL ISSUES
OIL TANK LEAK ADVICE
OIL TANK LIFE
OIL TANK PIPING DEFECTS
OIL TANK PRESSURE
OIL TANK REMOVAL COs
OIL TANK REMOVAL FINANCIAL AID
OIL TANK REGULATIONS
OIL TANK SLUDGE
OIL TANK STANDARDS
OIL TANK TESTING
OIL TANK TESTING COs
OIL TANK WATER CONTAMINATION

• Technical & Peer Reviewers for the original publication in the ASHI Technical Journal
  • Stephen Gladstone, Stonehollow Inspections, CT.,
  • Paul Ciminello, Ecosystems Strategies, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Daniel Friedman, ASHI Technical Journal Editor/Publisher, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Russ Brauksieck is an Environmental Engineer with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
• US EPA "How do you Properly Close a UST?" is summarized at epa.gov/OUST/fsprevnt.htm. These details for temporary and permanent closing of underground oil storage tanks are provided by the US EPA as well.
• US EPA "How do You Close [underground] Storage Tanks" - the original document which formed the basis for this individual web page article can be found at epa.gov/OUST/ustsystm/close.htm

Contents of this individual web page are derived from the US EPA document cited at Technical Reviewers above.

More Information On:Buried and Above Ground Oil Storage Tanks & Oil Tank References

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
• Abandon a Buried Oil Tank, How To - Abandoning Commercial Underground Tanks, Russ Brauksieck, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, P. 40-41 [Reprint]
• Above Ground Oil Tanks: Visual Inspection of Oil Storage Tanks for evidence of leaks, damage, improper piping - photos and text
• Above Ground Oil Tanks Checklist, an Oil Company's advice
• Above Ground Tanks UL Standards, UL Tank Listing Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
• Buried Oil Tanks - Finding How to Find Buried Oil Tanks and "Nearly Hidden" and Leaky Oil Tanks - photos and text.
• Buried Fuel tank - Advice - Buried FUEL Tank - GAS or OIL advice for home buyers, inspection report language
• Environmental Issues & Regulations for Oil Tanks, Registration, Abandonment, Leak Reporting
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Buried Oil Tanks, Basic home buyer advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Visible Defects in Oil Tank Installations, Tanks, and Heating Oil Piping
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Gas Fuel Piping or Tank Faults Basic advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Oil Tanks text file list © Oil and Other Storage Tank Leaks, Testing, Abandonment, Inspection - UST home inspection report language files - Reference List
• Indoor Environment Website Indoor Building Environmental Hazard Detection, Testing, Repair, & Prevention - Main Web Page
• Leaky Heating Oil Tanks - Advice for Home Owners or Buyers: caused of leaks in oil tanks, oil tank testing alternatives, what to do about leaky tanks: D.J. Friedman, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.2 No.1, Winter, 1992 p. 42-43 Illus
• Leak or Failure Rates for Home Heating Oil Tanks
• Legal Issues Regarding Buried Oil Storage Tanks K.S. Rea, Attorney, summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
• Primer on Petroleum Bulk Storage Tanks & Petroleum Contamination of Property Paul H. Ciminello, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, p 35-39
• Petroleum Bulk Storage J. Sibblies, NY State DEC, Advice to Home Owners and Home Inspectors about Oil Storage Tanks - summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
• Septic Tank inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair
• OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES - Oil Tank Failure Causes - oil tank leaks are caused by corrosion, damage, soil conditions, other factors
• OIL TANK TESTING - - How Oil Tanks are Tested for Evidence Leaks, of Current or Previous Oil Spills
• TANK FAILURE RATES - Oil Tank Failure Rates - Oil Tank Leak Probability as a Function of Tank Age, Location, Condition, Soil Conditions and Other Factors
• Web Link Exchange: Contact Us to list your website or contact information for oil tank testing, tank corrosion research, oil industry experts

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