Heating Oil Tank Decommissioning

[luvflyin]

I'm having two of them done on property i"m going to sell. They fill the tanks up with stuff. Then they test the soil looking for methyl ethyl bad sh*t. If there is methyl ethyl bad sh*t in the soil, then they gotta excavate and dispose of it. We're talking big Bucko$ now. Anyone gone through this before? I'm wondering if there is some kind of anti methyl ethyl bad sh*t stuff I could saturate the soil with ahead of time to disguise it.

 

[JOhnH]

Do you have any reason to suspect the tanks were leaking?
I had this done once and there were no issues.
I was told that if there were minor leakage, excavating a dump truck or two of the surrounding dirt would probably be sufficient.

But yes, if it was a bad, or long term leak, it could be a big problem. But probably not as bad as trying to disguise it and sell it without disclosure.

 

[Charlie Golf]

A controlled burn would do the trick.

 

[MauleSkinner]

A controlled burn would do the trick.

An uncontrolled burn would probably eliminate the problem as well.

 

[MIFlyer]

I'm having two of them done on property i"m going to sell. They fill the tanks up with stuff. Then they test the soil looking for methyl ethyl bad sh*t. If there is methyl ethyl bad sh*t in the soil, then they gotta excavate and dispose of it. We're talking big Bucko$ now. Anyone gone through this before? I'm wondering if there is some kind of anti methyl ethyl bad sh*t stuff I could saturate the soil with ahead of time to disguise it.

WA state also has an insurance program, run by the state for this. YOu may be covered by this when you were still getting oil delivered. Worth looking into.

Heating Oil Pollution Liability Insurance Program - The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (wa.gov)

 

[dbahn]

I had an inground tank drained one time and decided to leave the empty tank in the ground. But it was still full of air and during a wet spring it essentially floated to the surface. I dragged it away and filled the hole . . .

 

[Half Fast]

I'm wondering if there is some kind of anti methyl ethyl bad sh*t stuff I could saturate the soil with ahead of time to disguise it.

You need a team of attorneys.

Bury them in the area of concern. Nobody will pay any attention to chemicals in the soil.

 

[luvflyin]

WA state also has an insurance program, run by the state for this. YOu may be covered by this when you were still getting oil delivered. Worth looking into.

Heating Oil Pollution Liability Insurance Program - The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (wa.gov)

Properties are in Oregon. But it’s worth looking into. Thx

 

[luvflyin]

Do you have any reason to suspect the tanks were leaking?
I had this done once and there were no issues.
I was told that if there were minor leakage, excavating a dump truck or two of the surrounding dirt would probably be sufficient.

But yes, if it was a bad, or long term leak, it could be a big problem. But probably not as bad as trying to disguise it and sell it without disclosure.

No. No reason to suspect the are.

 

[luvflyin]

I had an inground tank drained one time and decided to leave the empty tank in the ground. But it was still full of air and during a wet spring it essentially floated to the surface. I dragged it away and filled the hole . . .

Water table ain’t that high here.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Water table ain’t that high here.

Garden hose?

 

[Gary]

I'm having two of them done on property i"m going to sell. They fill the tanks up with stuff. Then they test the soil looking for methyl ethyl bad sh*t. If there is methyl ethyl bad sh*t in the soil, then they gotta excavate and dispose of it. We're talking big Bucko$ now. Anyone gone through this before? I'm wondering if there is some kind of anti methyl ethyl bad sh*t stuff I could saturate the soil with ahead of time to disguise it.

Pulled/abandoned quite a few tanks. Whether they leaked or not will depend on the original quality of the tank, local soil conditions and whether water got into them (usually does). Were the tanks registered? Some states require that, others do not. If no leaks - you are good! Not a fan of filling the tank in place, particularly in a residential setting - there isn't a good way to determine if they leaked, and if they did, you are still on the hook if it is discovered later.

If they did leak, but soil contamination only, excavating is straightforward, albeit pricy. If the groundwater is contaminated, that's a whole new ballgame. There is "stuff" that will treat the methyl-ethyl bad sh*t" but it is eyewateringly expensive. You are not likely to disguise the contamination.

If it did leak, and the groundwater is contaminated, you may be hiring an environmental consultant.