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Decommissioning Options

Filco Environmental Oil Tank Services

Filco offers several cost-effective decommissioning services to meet your environmental needs. Find out which service you can benefit from and help protect the environment.

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Benefits, Disadvantages and the Process

Tank Removal

Benefits:

  1. The main advantage of removing the underground oil tank is that once the tank is excavated and gone you never have to deal with it again.
  2. Tank removal allows visual inspection of the area under the tank and more accurate soil testing if requested.

Disadvantages:

  1. The landscape could be impacted.  Restoring sod, trees and shrubs can be costly.
  2. Sometimes the accessibility of the tank is a problem especially if it’s under concrete.

Several Reasons to Remove Underground Storage Tank

There are several reasons why you would want to remove your underground storage tank. If you are converting to natural gas, electric, or installing a new above ground storage tank for your home heating needs, your best option would be to remove your underground heating oil tank especially if you plan to sell your home. Having your oil tank removed, checked for any holes, and the soil tested and remediated if necessary, will eliminate any potential problems you may encounter and can satisfy the insurance, mortgage companies, and due diligence by future homebuyers.

Click here if you are converting to natural gas or electric.

If you are an existing oil heat customer and are converting to another source of heat and have PLIA coverage, you only have 30 days after you convert to file a claim for the cleanup of petroleum contamination if any is found.

Foam Fill – In Place Tank Decommissioning

Benefits:

  1. Usually, there is no inconvenience of site excavation or visual impact on the property. The tank is pumped out, triple rinsed and then a structural foam mix is pumped into the tank through the filler pipe or a hole that has been cut at the top of the tank. The vent and fill pipes are cut off below grade and plugged.
  2. The polyurethane foam is inert, solid and cannot be dissolved.
  3. The removal of the tank, if ever required, is less complicated than slurry since the polyurethane foam is relatively light in weight.

Disadvantages:

  1. Visual inspection of the tank and soil around it cannot be done to determine if the tank has leaked and could become an issue in the future.
  2. Filling the tank in place can actually be more expensive than removal in some instances.

Slurry Fill – In Place Tank Decommissioning

Benefits:

  1. Usually, there is no inconvenience of site excavation or visual impact on the property. The tank is pumped out, triple rinsed and then a lean concrete/sand mix is pumped into the tank through the filler pipe or a hole that has been cut at the top of the tank. The vent and fill pipes are cut off below grade and plugged.

Disadvantages:

  1. Visual inspection of the tank and soil around it cannot be done to determine if the tank has leaked and could become an issue in the future.
  2. The increased total weight of the concrete mass makes any future removal of the filled tank a major project. The shell skin would have to be peeled off and the lean concrete is then broken up and removed. Sometimes since the concrete is substantially heavy, a crane is required for the removal.
  3. Filling the tank in place can actually be more expensive than removal in some instances.

Sand Fill – In Place Tank Decommissioning

Benefits:

  1. The tank is pumped out, triple rinsed. After excavating the soil to expose the tank, an access hole is created to fill the tank with sand. The vent and fill pipes are cut off below grade and plugged. In most cases, the ground cover and/or sod can be reused and your property restored.

Disadvantages:

  1. Visual inspection of the tank and soil around it cannot be done to determine if the tank has leaked and could become an issue in the future.
  2. The increased total weight of the sand makes any future removal of the filled tank a major project. The shell skin would have to be peeled off and the sand removed.
  3. Filling the tank in place can actually be more expensive than removal in some instances.

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