Residential Heating Oil Tanks

For many people dealing with a leaking tank and DEQ cleanup regulations can be daunting. Soil Solutions has closed thousands of residential heating oil tank projects at DEQ. With over 15 years of residential tank cleanup experience, Soil Solutions can guide you through the DEQ closure process and make sure that the project is successful.

Heating oil tank cleanup projects in Oregon almost always start with a risk assessment to determine if the tank and contaminated soil can remain safely buried in-place. There are many parameters we investigate when completing a risk assessment around a leaking heating oil tank. We collect additional soil samples and investigate site-specific conditions such as level of benzene and diesel in the soil, volume of the contaminated area, depth and use of groundwater in the area, and soil type. The process always includes decommissioning the tank. For some sites, soil gas samples, or air quality samples, are also collected to show that vapors from the contaminated soil are not impacting indoor air quality. If the investigation shows that the site meets the risk-based closure standards, the decommissioned tank and contaminated soil will be left in-place, and the site restored. We complete a full report to document the project and submit it to the DEQ for review and file closure.

Sometimes the level of contamination in the soil is simply too high to leave in the ground. In these circumstances the highly contaminated soil needs to be excavated. If the tank is in an area where we can use our small rubber track excavator we will decommission the tank by removal and then excavate the contaminated soil. In some circumstances, mini-excavators or hand digs are utilized to excavate the worse-case contamination and remove it from the property. At the end of the work day, we sample the excavation area to confirm all the contamination has been removed or to determine what levels are still remaining. If lab analysis determines there is still contamination remaining but at significantly lower levels, then we may conduct a risk assessment and attempt to close the site using the risk based closure process. Or, if lab analysis confirms all the contaminated soil has been removed then we can backfill the excavation, restore the site, and submit a cleanup report to the DEQ.

Heating oil tank cleanup projects in Washington are regulated differently. If soil contamination is found under a tank above the cleanup standards, excavation of the tank and contaminated soil is almost always recommended. Soil Solutions has 15 years of experience meeting Washington cleanup standards and working with the State of Washington Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (PLIA). Please contact a Soil Solutions project manager if you have questions about heating oil tank cleanup projects in Washington.

Residential Tank Project Inquiries
residential-tanks@soilsolutionsenvironmental.com

Overview of Tank Services

Click the image below for a downloadable and printable overview of our tank services.