Waltham Oil Tank Removal

Our truck arriving in Waltham to start the job.

The crew has set up to pump out the oil tank.

A crewman is pumping out the remaining oil in the tank through the tank gauge fitting.

The empty oil tank is now rotated on it's end so it can be cut in half.

One end of the cut and cleaned oil tank is carried out through the back door of the house.

Both halves of the tank are loaded on the truck and brought back to our building to be crushed and recycled.

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One of our customers documented the removal of his basement oil tank and was so pleased with the outcome he sent the photos to us. He captured everything from the truck arriving, to the crew cementing the wall where the old fill pipe was installed. In these photos you will see the pumping out of the old tank, the cutting and cleaning of the tank, and the loading of the two pieces to be brought back to our facility where it is crushed and recycled.

The technicians started the project by pumping out the oil tank using an intrinsically safe diaphragm pump. Safety glasses, gloves and respirators were used to protect the technicians from contact with oil and vapors.

A container was placed under the oil filter/valve and any remaining oil was drained. The crew then disconnected the oil line and cut the vent and fill pipe. The empty oil tank was stood on end and cut in half. Sawdust was placed inside the tank to absorb residual oil and the technicians collected the sawdust for disposal using a scraper. The two cut sections of the oil tank were removed and brought to a recycling yard. Finally, the holes for the vent and fill pipes are sealed with cement.

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.