Home Heating Oil Tank Presentation

1
Home Heating Oil Tank Presentation
by Greg BabcockUniversal Applicators, Inc.
                Version 20130327
2
Why are Heating Oil Tanks an issue?
Tank Deommissioning properly takes a Tank out of
service.
Leak
Fill with Water
Weaken and Collapse
Float in High Water Table
3
Floating Gas Tanks
4
Whats left of 50 year old Tanks
5
Why are we called?
1.) Real Estate Transactions(More than all other
reasons combined).
2.) Refinancing 3.) Failing Heating
System (Water coming through a hole in the Tank
or fuel is rapidly leaking out).4.) Conversion
to another Heat source. 5.) Due
Diligence(Almost never)
FOR SALE
6
Do I have a Heating Oil Tank?
Signs to look for
1. Vent Pipe
2. Fill Pipe
3. Fuel Lines in Basement
Sometimes well hidden
7
Do I have a Heating Oil Tank?
Signs to look for
New lines Indicates a past problem with the
Heating System.
Their remedy was to install new cooper lines.
We know lines are new because original lines were
iron and there is a patch in the floor.
That didnt solve the problem so they converted
to Gas and disconnected the lines.
No Decommissioning paper trail.
High probability that there is an abandoned
leaking Tank on site.
8
Once the Tank is located Soil Samples are
acquired.
TWO (2) soil samples taken at No more than 6
inches from the opposite ends of the Tank
At ONE to TWO (2) feet below the
Tank bottom.
9
Soil samples are reported as Total
Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) measurements of
parts per million (ppm). RESULTS ND
means-No Detection of TPH. 0 49ppm No
DEQ reporting required. 50ppm and
higher-requires reporting to the DEQ within 72
hours of discovery by either the Tank Owner or
service provider.
Soil Sample Results
50ppm 500ppm will require a written DEQ
report, but generally no physical cleanup
action. Above 500ppm will require a
cleanup action beyond a Decommissioning.
10
Oil Tank Decommissioning is still a voluntary
process.
March 2000, the DEQ standardized the
Decommissioning process by writing a set of
procedures to follow, in order for the
Decommissioning to be considered Certified.
Prior to March 2000
Decommissionings did not always include Soil
Samples. It was the customers option.
Conversions in the past did not always include
Decommissionings.
Often, customers were advised to fill Tanks with
water to ballast them in place.
A lot of out of service or abandoned Tanks
remain with un-resolved issues.
11
Oil Tank Decommissioning is still a voluntary
process.
March 2000, the DEQ standardized the
Decommissioning process by writing a set of
procedures to follow in order, for the
Decommissioning to be considered Certified.
Residential Tank Decommissioning rules are
similar to Commercial Tank rules.
12
Why a pump-out is not enough. Oily Sludge buildup
over the years.
Decommissioning
Tank is cleaned.
Backfilled
Site Restored
The Process of a standard Decommissioning
13
Decommissioning by Slurry-alternativeMethod
14
Are basement Tanks Decommissioned?
Yes
But dont forget to remove the vent and fill
pipes
This
Automatic Fill
Basement Spill
15
Soil samples are reported as Total
Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) measurements of
parts per million (ppm). RESULTS ND
means-No Detection of TPH. 0 49ppm No
DEQ reporting required. 50ppm and
higher-requires reporting to the DEQ within 72
hours of discovery by either the Tank Owner or
service provider.
Soil Sample Results
Back to Sample Results
50ppm 500ppm will require a written DEQ
report, but generally no physical cleanup
action. Above 500ppm will require a
cleanup action beyond a Decommissioning.
16
DEQ Matrix Score Sheet DEQ Matrix Score Sheet DEQ Matrix Score Sheet DEQ Matrix Score Sheet
Depth to Ground Water Less than 25 feet25 to 50 feet51 feet to 100 feetover 100 feet 10 7 4 1
Mean Annual Precipitation Over 45 inches20 to 45 inchesless than 20 inches 10 5 1
Native Soil Type Coarse Sands, GravelsSilts, fine Sands Clays 10 5 1
Sensitivity to Uppermost Aquifer Sole SourceCurrent PotableFuture PotableNon Potable 10 7 4 1
Potential Receptors Many, NearMediumFew, Far 10 5 1
TOTAL
Level 1 over 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 100 ppmLevel 2 25 to 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 500 ppmLevel 3 under 25 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 1000 ppm Level 1 over 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 100 ppmLevel 2 25 to 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 500 ppmLevel 3 under 25 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 1000 ppm
17
DEQ Matrix Score Sheet DEQ Matrix Score Sheet DEQ Matrix Score Sheet DEQ Matrix Score Sheet
Depth to Ground Water Less than 25 feet25 to 50 feet51 feet to 100 feetover 100 feet 10 7 4 1 10
Mean Annual Precipitation Over 45 inches20 to 45 inchesless than 20 inches 10 5 1 5
Native Soil Type Coarse Sands, GravelsSilts, fine Sands Clays 10 5 1 5
Sensitivity to Uppermost Aquifer Sole SourceCurrent PotableFuture PotableNon Potable 10 7 4 1 7
Potential Receptors Many, NearMediumFew, Far 10 5 1 10
TOTAL 37
Level 1 over 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 100 ppmLevel 2 25 to 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 500 ppmLevel 3 under 25 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 1000 ppm Level 1 over 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 100 ppmLevel 2 25 to 40 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 500 ppmLevel 3 under 25 points requires a minimum cleanup level of 1000 ppm
The DEQ rules/goal is to protect the Ground Water.
SAMPLE RESULTS
500 ppm cleanup level is typical for an
Oregon Site.
18
Cleanup Action Options
Matrix Cleanup
Involves removal and transport of
Contaminated Soil.

19
Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA) or
Generic Remedy
These methods allow Contaminated Soil to be
left in place, if tested Carcinogen levels are
sufficiently low. But
Depending on Soil Test Levels
Effects of nearby Residence may be required,
Pathways for vapor intrusion must be noted-Air
samples may be required.
EXAMPLE OF PATHWAYS Utility trenches
plumbing.
What if Contamination excavation threatens a
Structure?
20
Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA) or
Generic Remedy
These methods allow Contaminated Soil to be
left in place if tested Carcinogen levels are
sufficiently low. But
At a later time old contamination may be
mistaken for a new leak.
21
Ground Water changes the method of Cleanup
DEQ will over see the Cleanup.
22
When the Cleanup is Complete.
The final Process is to produce a Environmental
Report on the Cleanup Activities. This report
ranges from 30 to 40 pages.
Copies are sent to The DEQ with filing fee.2-
Copies to the Home Owner.Contractor retains a
File Copy for 10 years.
23
The DEQ DOES NOT oversee most RESIDENTIAL
cleanups. THE DEQ does not issue a No further
Action Letter.The DEQ performs random audits
on Contractors to check for Cleanup procedure
compliance.
YOU SHOULD KNOW
If it is discovered (from an audit) that the
contractor did not complete the work to DEQ
specifications, the contractor must complete the
work at their cost.
THE HOME OWNER WILL REMAIN THE RESPONSIBLE
PERSON.
24
Tank Replacement
New Steel Tank with Anode
25
Tank Replacement
Old Tank next to a New Tank
26
Tank Replacement
Old Tank next to a New Tank
27
Tank Replacement
Old Tank next to a New Tank
28
Which is better?
Tank Replacement
Above Ground Tanks (AST)What I likeThey are
easy to monitor.
What I dont LikePermitting, placement and
Seismic Requirements make them expensive to
install.They take up space.They are eye
sores.They are physically exposed.
Underground Steel Tanks (UST)-with AnodesWhat I
likeThey are inexpensive to put back into the
excavation of the old Tank.They save space.They
are visually unseen.Cathodic Protection (Anodes)
can add up to 30 years of life to the Tank.
What I dont LikeAnodes should be tested and
occasionally replaced (inexpensive),
Underground Fiberglass TanksAll the advantages
of a UST without requiring Cathodic
Protection.But it is more expensive than a steel
Tank.
29
Why we prefer underground Tanks
30
Info-Brochure
Universal Applicators, Inc.
www.universalap.com 503-236-6359