Sometimes you have to leave it there

Usually decommissioning fuel storage tanks involves removing them, but this is not always the best option.

When fuel site cleaning and decommissioning specialist David Plumb & Co was called in to deal with three redundant 4,000gal heating oil tanks at Crawley College, it recommended leaving them in place and making them safe.

“The tanks were below a pavement, directly under the wall of the college’s welding centre,” says David Plumb director John Moore, “an activity we had to get them to stop for the duration of the work, as fuel vapour and welding don’t mix that well.

“The tanks were accessed through manholes in the pavement. Cutting them up in situ and removing the metal would have been possible but, as the client didn’t need the space we recommended they be made safe and left in place, as a more cost effective option.”

To achieve this David Plumb gas-freed the tanks, removed residual oil, cut large holes in the tanks and completely filled the fill-pipes with concrete, to ensure they could never be used again.

 

5 March 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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