In-ground oil tank

It is best that you do a soil sample from the tank grave after you pull it.
Provided the grave is not saturated with fuel oil, you will have yourself a piece of mind should it ever come up again.
We did one and it was questionable but the sample came back as below limits, we thought for sure it would all have to be dug out.
It's your call.

Back to the oil tank.... I have the top exposed... the top of the tank is about 2-3 feet down... How would someone pull an oil tank out of the ground without heavy equipment. Is that possible? I could rent a small machine but what would be a good suggestion on the type of machine to rent if I did. I do believe pulling it out on my own will be best, and a soil sample taken. If the results are good (and I think they will be), i will have a record. if they are bad...

Do you have tabs or something you can hook to??? tanks empty right???--dig an angle on the side you plan to pull it out & hell, probably my old plow truck or the old 8N would pull it out---slowly

There is a tie point on the top.. that is probably what they used to lower it in... I know they are not to heavy. I placed the two in the basement by my self on a hand truck.

You will probably want to excavate to the point that the dirt is mostly away from the tank for several reasons:

1. the force of the friction of the dirt against the tank will be far more than the weight of the tank.

2. you need to make sure the tank is not tied down to a anti float pad or dead-men. This would be evident with straps around the tank.

3. You don't want dirt collapsing back into the hole and making it difficult to sample.

4. You also want the dirt back far enough that it doesn't cave in on you when you go to sample the dirt from the hole when the tank is removed.


Be very careful hooking a chain or tow cable to the tank and giving a tug. People have been killed from the flying parts of a suddenly broken tow chain/rope.

I've been on a few tank pulls and you will not be able to lift the tank by the ring unless the ground around it has been removed down to the center of the tank. If you have the tank uncovered. Cut a hole in the top with a sawsall 24x24. You will need to get inside the tank and remove any fuel and solids and there will be some nasty junk in there. Wipe the inside with rags so there is no running oil inside. Then lift the tank out. Try not to disturb the hole sides. Lay the tank on the ground and scrape the dirt off. Then take a look though the hole that you cut and look for "stars" holes. If you find any go to that spot in the hole. and take your samples. I've seen the "Let's get it outta ground " guys make simple tank removel into a 3 day job because they did not cut and clean first. You can take your time and in a few hours be done and have a cold one. I have learned by the other guy's mistakes. PS A 550 gal tank is about 3-400 lbs.and a backhoe will save your back.

I wouldn't dare remove it ... unless you like donating all your hard earned money to the state.

Don't know how rural your area is ... but if that were in my yard, I'd cut the top, toss brush, trash, tires, what have you inside ... then make a gigantic brush pile on top of it so nobody can tell there's a hole under it, then fire it up. No more oil .... or brush.

Cheaper than a $30k fine any way you slice it.

See ... all this militant environmentalism by the government has made criminals out of us honest folks. Sad state of affairs we are in .....

There may ... or may not ... have been an underground tank in this undisclosed location:

Hey, what the hell happened to offcoursey?????? ???

Black vans and choppers showed up...
No tank removal for you...

Oh NO!!!!! you mean they took him to one of the DEC waterboard caves---calling all coal burners---brother in trouble---meet at Hambden Bobs ASAP

Received.

I'm here... I've been busy taking of ' the problem' (and making some small batchs of beer). I took Smitty's advice. The hole was dug in stages... left it alone for some time, then came back to it. I live near a busy road and a business next door. It seems people get used to seeing the pile of dirt and don't see me working too hard on it, they don't ask questions. The day I cut, I had a small tree there that I am planting in the same area. I lady at the business actually looked over and said "It's gonna look nice when your done!" I just agreed with her. An hour later and the tree is planted and I'm filling in both holes. One project done.
I had filled it with broken concrete I needed gone and I bought two yards of sand. It was in good shape and not that old.Thanks for all the advice! Now it looks like a grave though, until the grass grows.

Sounds like a "hide in plain sight" project.

exactly

Outstanding--now on to those other 200 projects.