OIL TANK ABANDONMENT, WHAT TO EXPECT
22 Jannuary 2015When considering oil tank abandonment, or removal, it is imperative that you contact a licensed, experienced contractor. When you contact a licensed contractor to abandon your oil tank, he will come to your property and locate the tank. Your contractor will help you determine whether oil tank abandonment or removal is the right option. Your contractor should obtain any required permits and let you know the fees for your town.
Your contractor will then empty the oil tank by pumping out the oil with a pump truck and properly disposing of it. Your contractor will then remove the soil above the tank. He will create an opening in the tank and thoroughly clean the inside of the tank, removing any oil and sludge. Once the tank is clean, your contractor will fill the tank with an inert material.
If required, your contractor will arrange for any inspections that need to occur. If the soil is determined to be uncontaminated, your contractor will backfill the area with clean soil and regrade the ground. He should then supply you with written documentation of the tank abandonment for your records. You must save these records because you may be required to produce them if you sell your property in the future. The actual oil tank abandonment process usually takes less than a day.
The best way to avoid the additional cost for cleaning a contaminated area is to remove or properly abandon oil tanks sooner rather than later. Oil tank removal differs from oil tank abandonment.
