home heating oil tank presentation by greg babcock universal applicators, inc. version 20130327

Home Heating Oil

Tank Presentation

by Greg BabcockUniversal Applicators, Inc.                

Version 20130327

Why are Heating Oil Tanks an issue?Tank Deommissioning properly takes a Tank out of service.

Leak Fill with Water

Float in High Water Table

Weaken and Collapse

Floating Gas Tanks

What’s left of 50 year old Tanks

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

Do I have a Heating Oil Tank?

Signs to look for…

1. Vent Pipe

Sometimes well hidden…

3. Fuel Lines in Basement

2. Fill Pipe

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 didn’t solve the problem so they converted to Gas and disconnected the lines.

High probability that there is an abandoned leaking Tank on site.

No Decommissioning paper trail.

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.

Soil Sample Results 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.

50ppm – 500ppm will require

a written DEQ report, but generally

no physical cleanup action.

Above 500ppm will require a

cleanup action beyond a

Decommissioning.

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.”

Oil Tank Decommissioning is still a voluntary process.

Decommissionings did not always include Soil Samples. It was the customers option.

Conversions in the past did not always include Decommissionings.

Prior to March 2000:

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.

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.

Oil Tank Decommissioning is still a voluntary process.

Why a pump-out is not enough. Oily Sludge buildup over the years.

Decommissioning

BackfilledTank is cleaned.

Site Restored

The Process of a standard

Decommissioning

Decommissioning by Slurry-alternativeMethod

Are basement Tanks Decommissioned?Yes…

But don’t forget to remove the vent and fill pipes…

This + Automatic Fill = Basement Spill

Soil Sample Results 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.

50ppm – 500ppm will require

a written DEQ report, but generally

no physical cleanup action.

Above 500ppm will require a

cleanup action beyond a

Decommissioning.

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

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

SAMPLE RESULTS

500 ppm cleanup level is typical for an Oregon Site.

The DEQ rules/goal is to

protect the Ground Water.

Cleanup Action Options Matrix Cleanup

Involves removal and transport of Contaminated Soil.

Pathways for vapor intrusion must be noted-Air samples may be required.

Effects of nearby Residence may be required,

EXAMPLE OF PATHWAYS: Utility trenches & plumbing.

Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA) or Generic Remedy

What if Contamination excavation threatens a Structure?

These methods allow Contaminated Soil to be “left in place,” if tested Carcinogen levels are sufficiently low. But…

Depending on Soil Test Levels:

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.

Ground Water changes the method of Cleanup

DEQ will over see the Cleanup.

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.

When the Cleanup is Complete.

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.”

New Steel Tank with Anode

Tank Replacement

Old Tank next to a New Tank

Tank Replacement

Old Tank next to a New Tank

Tank Replacement

Old Tank next to a New Tank

Tank Replacement

Which is better?Above Ground Tanks (AST)What I like:They are easy to monitor.What I don’t Like:Permitting, 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 like:They 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 don’t Like:Anodes 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.

Tank Replacement

Why we prefer underground Tanks

Info-Brochure

www.universalap.com

503-236-6359

Universal Applicators, Inc.