With a fuel or oil tank, the most effective method of decommissioning is to remove and dispose of the tank, because it completely eliminates the danger. Tank decommissioning by taking a tank away will generally start with cleaning the inside of the tank, followed by cutting into sections to remove it from the area or excavation if it’s an underground tank.
By simply cleaning the internal tank, you have already eliminated most of the environmental hazards, as all liquid and sludge will be removed from the tank. Every piece of waste removed from a tank must be submitted as dangerous waste, and a complete audit trail documented from origin point to disposal. For details on Oil tank decommissioning, visit a site like http://www.ashremediation.co.uk/tank-decommissioning/
However, tanks can remain a threat even once the interior has been cleaned. As time goes on, small areas of product that can be hiding in weld cracks can generate flammable vapour, causing the tank to explode. A gas tank must always be taken away and open enough to prevent vapour accumulation or filled in straight away after cleaning. A gas-free certificate will always be issued to the gas tank for a period not exceeding 24 hours, following which, an additional atmospheric monitoring check will be required.
The cost of decommissioning oil tanks will vary. Tanks embedded underground or significantly large in size will generally be the most expensive to remove, but variables such as oil grade, size and location will all have an impact on this. Heavy oil fuels are more difficult to handle and will result in higher cost.
