Blog

March 26, 2015

Wondering what to do with an oil tank on your property?

Have you recently moved into, or bought a property and are concerned about a buried oil tank? This is a very common and undesirable problem in Vancouver, British Columbia that can have drastic consequences if left untreated.

Since the introduction of natural gas, oil tanks have become more or less obsolete on the west coast. Many unused oil tanks were either discarded or buried underground and built upon when this happened. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now we know it is not as it can affect the land around it in numerous different ways. These oil tanks were frequently filled with sand when buried however it has since been discovered that many had not been properly or completely filled and oil can leak from them, contaminating the soil and the wider environment.

You need to contract an oil tank removal in Vancouver if you find that a tank is buried on your property. If you are unsure, you can have it surveyed using special ground penetrating radar scanning equipment. This will detect an oil tank without causing any further damage. If one is found, you will need to move forward with the oil tank removal in Vancouver. One of the few exceptions is if removing it will cause even more damage than the actual oil tank is doing. Given that this is rarely the case, getting it off your property as soon as possible is the best option.

First you will be given a quote on how much the oil tank removal will cost. Unfortunately the Government of British Columbia will not cover the cost of this, but if you go with a reputable firm like West Coast Tank Recovery, you will receive a quote for free and get excellent value and service for the oil tank removal process.

A trained professional crew will then come to your home at a time that will suit you and excavate the oil tank with as little disruption and disturbance as possible. When using a reliable and recommended firm, this will be done in a contained area with experienced technicians. They will do it in an environmentally sensitive manner and the tank will be broken down and recycled in order to prevent it causing any more damage to the environment than it already has. The land will then be filled by the team leaving it looking as good as new and in better shape than ever given that the potential pollutant is now gone.

While this is certainly not a problem we want to deal with, it can be solved quickly when left in the hands of experts. If you are worried you may have an oil tank on your property, simply get in touch and we will assist you with your oil tank removal in Vancouver.