Oil Spill Stain Cleanup

Oil stain is still visible after steam cleaning

Hot water tank has been removed

Negative air machine vents the air outside to reduce oil fumes

Jackhammer is used to break up floor around the stain

Stained concrete has been removed

New concrete floor installed

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CommTank was called by an oil company who was repairing an oil-fired hot water tank and caused a spill of a few gallons of heating oil. Despite their best efforts to remove the oil,replace the kickboards, and steam clean the floor, the fuel odor still permeated the cellar in this Stoughton, Massachusetts home. The stain covered an area about 4' x 4' on the concrete floor. The oil company’s insurance provider approved a claim for the oil spill stain cleanup and CommTank sent a plan to them for removing the stain and odor. The following is an outline of that plan.

Work Scope

Temporarily Remove Fuel Oil Tank

1. Pump out the above-ground storage oil tank into a holding tank
2. Disconnect fill and vent pipe on top of the tank
3. Disconnect fuel oil supply line
4. Temporarily relocate the above-ground storage oil tank and store in the garage

Temporarily Remove Hot Water Tank

1. Drain and Disconnect hot water tank
2. Remove and temporarily store in garage

Surface Cleanup

1. Remove a section of the oil stained wood studs on interior foundation wall approximately (8’L, x 3’H)
2. Remediate hydrocarbons located on the floor using Biosolve®, and dry clay absorbent located on floor

High VOC readings near the oil stain before starting remediation work

Wall Restoration

1. Restore section of the wall previously removed approximately (8’L, x 3’H)
2. Provide and install new 2”x4” wood studs
3. Provide and install new R-30 insulation as needed

Reconnect Existing Oil Tank

1. Reconnect existing above-ground storage oil tank to the, fill, vent pipe and supply oil line
2. Transfer oil from holding tank into the existing tank
3. Prime and test system
4. Reconnect existing hot water tank

Reinstall Hot Water Tank

Hot water and oil tank reinstalled after the oil stain was removed

Upon completion of the excavation, restoration of the floor and reinstallation of the oil tank and water heater, CommTank technicians took air quality readings and found that they were below Massachusetts acceptable limits for volatile organic vapors (readings of 4.5 PPB with the highest being 5.6 PPB). The insurance company reviewed the results and confirmed these readings were very low. The owner and his wife were satisfied with the floor restoration and odor level compared to when work first began. The owners were provided with a report explaining the work performed and the results of the air quality testing.

About the Author: Dan Hoag

Dan Hoag has worked in the environmental and tank storage industry for 16 years. Dan’s range of expertise includes designing systems for oil spill clean-ups, treating soil contamination through "in situ" oxidation and testing, and inspecting underground storage tank systems. As head of Marketing and Information Technologies at CommTank, Dan draws from field experience to write about fuel, water and chemical storage technologies, and the regulations that affect them. He has developed training courses in home inspection, underground storage tank operator, ultrasonic thickness and tank tightness testing. Over the past decade, Dan has published over 60 articles about industry trends and has documented commercial, residential, and environmental projects through illustration, videos, and photography. When Dan unplugs from technology, he spends his time backyard farming, hiking, and kayaking, while masquerading as a hockey player during the wee hours of the morning.