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Heating Oil Underground & Above ground Oil Storage Tanks - Oil Storage Tank Abandonment Procedures & Oil Tank Leak or Oil Spill Cleanup Companies InspectAPedia®  -     Oil tank removal or abandonment procedures - basics Oil Spill Cleanup Companies and Resources Questions & answers about procedures for cleaning up oil tank leaks & spills and about abandoning oil storage tanks

This article discusses oil storage tank abandonment procedures and then lists storage tank leak or oil spill cleanup companies who handle abandonment or leak cleanup for buried oil tanks as well as for above ground oil storage tanks

A separate directory of companies specializing in locating, testing, and removing or abandoning above ground or buried oil storage tanks is at TESTING COs. Qualified service providers may be listed at this website at no fee.

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Oil Tank Removal or Abandonment Methods

There are also proper methods of "abandoning" old unused buried tanks without actually excavating and removing them (provided there is not evidence of leakage). If a tank is not to be used, can involve significant expense. A proper abandonment procedure involves pumping out remaining fuel, confirming that there has been no leakage, cleaning the tank, and filling the tank with an approved filler, or removing it entirely. These measures, if required, involve significant expense.

Buried tank removal is handled by environmental services companies. Usually the specialist arranges testing, excavation, and disposal. Or tanks can be abandoned in place.

Environmental Issues & Regulations for Oil Tanks

In the U.S. and many other countries state DEP/DEC/DNR (Departments of Environmental Conservation or similar agencies) have programs for registering buried tanks at any site storing (typically) more than 1100 gallons of heating oil. Requirements for gas (auto fuel), or other fuels may be different. Eventually this concern may spread to smaller residential tanks. The concern is for leaks which contaminate the environment. Tanks located where they may leak into a local waterway or into the water supply are a special environmental concerns. (C)trap DJ Friedman.

LEAK CLEANUP - Oil Leak/Spill Cleanup Companies Directory

A Separate Directory of Oil Tank Locating, Testing, & Oil Tank Removal Companies is at a (separate page)

The directory shown below lists companies specializing in the cleanup of oil leaks & spills, with focus on residential and light commercial properties, though some of these companies may also address large-scale above oil spills on land or at sea.

• Bioremediation resources on Internet
• Environmental and Information Resources, Inc. markets a low cost way of cleaning up petroleum hydrocarbon releases called bioremediation using naturally occurring soil microbes. EIR also performs biologically based cleanups of inorganic contamination such as heavy metals and radio nuclides using phytoremediation to uptake contamination from soil or groundwater.
• Government Contacts - Contact the DEC/DEP/DNR office in your state
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  OIL TANK LEAK CLEANUP GUIDE

• OIL TANK REGULATIONS U.S. State and Federal environmental regulations regarding oil leak reporting, oil and other storage tank registration, oil tank abandonment, tank removal, tank testing, and other storage tanks, U.S. state regulations, and regulations in other countries are discussed in detail at this link where we also give contact information for various federal and state agencies.
• Home buyers of a property with an oil tank should be sure to review HOME BUYERS GUIDE TO OIL TANKS as well as these detailed articles:
  • OIL TANK TESTING - Leaky Heating Oil Tanks - How Oil Tanks are Tested for Evidence Leaks, of Current or Previous Oil Spills
  • OIL TANK LEGAL ISSUES - Home Buyers and Home Owners Guide to Leaky Heating Oil Tanks - What to Do About & When to Report Oil Tank Leaks.
  • Leaky Heating Oil Tanks. OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE - Abandoning Commercial vs. Residential Underground Oil Storage Tanks (UST) - Procedures & Regulations for Home owners who have old oil tanks above ground or any age oil tank below ground
  • Septic Tanks A separate website for onsite waste disposal tank.
  • OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE - Abandoning Oil Tanks - provides a detailed discussion of Abandoning Commercial vs. Residential Underground Oil Storage Tanks (UST) - Procedures & Regulations

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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• "How do you choose the right tank testing method?", Cynthia Johnson, Fuel Oil & Oil Heat Magazine, November 1995
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• National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, PO Box 380, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
• "Homeowners Guide to Fuel Storage," Agway Energy Products, Verbank, NY, November 1990
• 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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