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447 Eisenhower Boulevard • Johnstown, PA 15904 • 1-800-245-6238 |
McKelvey
Oil Company, Inc.
The Revolutionary Underground Storage Tank Abandonment Process
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447 Eisenhower Boulevard • Johnstown, PA 15904 • 1-800-245-6238 |
The Revolutionary Underground Storage Tank Abandonment Process
Polyurethane Foam Approved
Inert Solid for UST AbandonmentAcross the nation and in Canada, many owners of ungerground storage tanks are electing to abandon their underground storage tanks, rather than to register them or bring them into compliance under federal law. In most jurisdictions, it is imposisble to abandon a UST by simply walking away from it. The tank owner is faced with two choices:removal or abandonment in place.
The first option requires the inconvienience of site excavation, including back-filling and resurfacing of paved areas when the tank is removed. Once on the surface, the tank must be degassed, punctured and transported to an acceptable salvage yard for disposal.
The tank owner's second option is to abandon the tank in place, provided this is permitted by local law. At a minimum, such codes require that a UST be filled with a load-bearing inert material. This eliminated the potential danger of a heavy vehicle driving over the tank and dropping into a hole created by the collapse of the old tank's empty walls. In addition, abandoning a tank in place is generally less expensive than having it removed from underground.
Three possibilities exist for filling a UST in place: sand, concrete and polyurethane foam. To introduce sand into an empty UST it is usually necessary to uncover a portion of the top and cut a hole in the tank wall. It is difficult to completely fill a tank with sand - cavities remain, they can often be over a foot in depth. The danger of a cave-in still remains, plus all connecting lines must be removed from the tank. In addition, the after filling weight of the UST has been increased substantially.
Owners of tanks filled with concrete face similar problems. While they may be able to introduce a fluid concrete slurry into the tank thought the fill pipe, such a mixture takes days to dry and often shrinks - leaving residual water form the mix in the tank. Most of all, the sheer weight of the concrete mass makes future removal of the filled tank a major undertaking. The stell skin would have to be peeled off and the concrete broken up and removed by crane.
Polyurethane foam is the basis of the Petro Fill Process. This is a U.S. Patented system that can be injected into UST's through any four inch opening, including a vent line. The liquid mixture conforms to the shape of the UST and finds its way into all voids and pipelines. No cavities remain once the injection is complete. As it hardens (cures) the material expands and actually extrudes out the fill, vent, and gauge pipes.
The polyurethane foam used in the Petro Fill Process is inert, solid and cannot be dissolved. It resists shrinkage or swelling with age. The structural strength of foam can even be varied by adjusting the formula mix.
A UST sealed with polyurethane foam is permenantly closed; yet the later removal of the tank, if ever required, is facilitated by the material's relative light weight. The Petro Fill process provides owners with the logical solution to the problem of UST abandonment.
The Petro Fill Process
The Petro Fill Process is a unique U.S. Patented system which eliminates the skyrocketing cost of underground storage tank (UST) removal. It saves valuable time that would otherwise be lost during tank removal, back-filling and the replacement of overlay pavement and parking areas. It also elimitates disturbing the already compacted soil around a UST during the removal process and the use of cave-in protection devices such as sheet pilings and pile-driving - which would add further to the cost of tank removal.
When using the Petro Fill Process, the only access needed, in most cases, is the fill pipe, product line and the vent line.
After the tank and all its access lines have been identified and cleaned, the tank recieves a predetermined amount of Petro Sorb, a specially blended abosrbant designed to absorb any condenstation, mud, water or sludge that may be left in the tank. This insures a tight fit with no voids on the bottom of the tank.
The UST is then injected with the required amount of Petro Fill to tightly fill the tank and all of its connecting lines. The filling time for an average 10,000 gallon tank is approximately four hours. Once completed, all lines (suction, inlet, gauge and fill) are cleaned and sealed.
Each line is then capped off with the appropriate Petro Cap and finally, color coded and tagged. Should it ever be necessary to remove tank sealed by the Petro Fill Process, at some future date, the tank containing the lightweight inert material could be removed with the same size equipment used to install the tank. A UST filled with sand or concrete would require an extremely large and expensive piece of equipment to remove it and, because of its weight, would probably have to be cut apart for removal.
Chairman's Message...
"I have been involved in the oil industry for over thirty years and am aware of the operational concerns that independant operators face on a day-to-day basis. Several years ago, after the stringent EPA regulations were adopted concerning underground storage tank (UST) abandonment, the need existed for an alternative to the time-consuming, costly and surface disruptive removal process -- not to mention having to contend with underground utilities and disposal of the tank once it is dug up."
"While some operators chose to avoid surface disruption by filling their abandoned tanks in place, with either sand or concrete, such alternatives invariabley increase the tank's weight substantially and pose additional futute problems, should they ever wish to remove the filled tank at a later date. Also, remember that aside from its weight, concrete shrinks as it dries and empty cavities will always exist. There had to be a more practical answer."
"That answer came in the form of an ecologically safe and lightweight inert substance - polyurethane foam. That was when the Petro Fill alternative was born. The Petro Fill Process provides clients with a safe, structurally-sound and permanent closure system that not only fills the abandoned tank completely, but even extrudes out into the access valves, vent and gauge pipes, providing a solid seal dries with no shrinkage in less than half an hour."
"Petro Fill, Inc. owns the only U.S. Patent for filling abandoned storage tanks with polyurethane foam. UST's sealed by Petro Fill are ecologically safe and pose no future threat to groundwater systems. Should a client ever wish to remove the UST, the weight of the Petro Fill sealed tank is little more than it was when it was empty."
"If I didn't believe in the economical practicality, structural integrity and ecological benefits of the Petro Fill Process 100%, I would never have gotten into the business! I'm proud that Petro Fill is on the vanguard of safe and efficient UST abandoment. It's the practical choice for independent operators... and its safe for the environment."
Never Confuse Polyurethane Foam
with Urea Formaldyhde Foam!Fully cured polyurethanes, such as the polyurethane foam used in the Petro Fill Process, presents no health hazards. They are chemically inert and insoluble in water and most organic solvents - even gasoline. Because of their inertness, polyurethanes are the polymers of choice in biomedical applications. The artificial heart that has been undergoing international testing is constructed from thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers.
There is a major problem with urea formaldehyde foam - it's a potential health hazard! In recent years, public concern about the adverse health effects of urea formaldehyde foam insulation has been in the spotlight. There are even those who mistakenly attribute the problem to polyurethane (also commonly called urethane) foam insulation. Just remember this, there are major chemical differences between polyurethane foam and urea formaldehde foam.
Urea Formaldehyde Foam:
In the formation of urea formaldehyde foam, a micture of urea, formaldehyde, water and air is blended. It expands into a material with the consistency of whipped egg whites. For many years, this mixture had commonly been used to retrofit wall cavities of existing structures. The foam is pumped into the cavities of existing structures. The foam is pumped into the cavities through holes drilled into interior or exterior walls and eventually hardens in place.
Many reports have been documented about formaldehyde vapors emanating from the foam and causing adverse health effects to the building's occupants. This situation can also be applied to UST abandonment applications where formaldehyde vapors could escape, permeating the soil and groundwater sources.
In addition, the density of urea formaldehyde foam does not provide the structural support necessary to prevent cave-ins upon corrosion of the UST's steel walls. Typically, urea formaldehyde foam is applied at a minimal load-bearing density of .5 pounds per cubic foot or less. You should also be aware that urea formaldehyde foam is an OPEN CELL material which allows water to enter it and wash possible harmful components into the surrounding areas. The long-term hazard potential from formaldehyde and other chemicals within a ank leeching into the groundwater has not yet been fully determined.
Polyurethane Foam:
The formation of polyurethane foam is achieved by mixing isocyanates with polyols or water. The mixture expands within seconds and forms cellular structures. These foams are available as boardstock or laminated panels. They can also be formulated on-site from liquid chemicals which are foamed into place by spraying, pouring or frothing. Various polyurethane foams are used in construction, typically for roofing, ground perimeter insulations, wall insulation and sheathing.
In an article published in the January 11, 1981 issue of THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION it was reported:
"a fully cured urethane foam... presents no problems of bleed-off or toxic products... there have been no reports of human toxicity caused by this insulation material."
Polyurethane foam is a safe CLOSED CELL material. Water cannot penetrate it and carry off harmful chemicals into the soil and groundwater. When you consider the health and safety factors, along with the strength and structural integrity of the product, polyurethane foam is by far the logical choice for UST abandonment applications.
Customer Profile: Duppstadt's General Store
There are many owners of underground storage tanks who have chosen the Petro Fill Process to permanently seal their tanks. In Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands, one such individual is James R. Duppstadt, owner of Duppstadt's General Store, located along US 30, (the Forbes Road) in Buckstown, Somerset County.
Mr. Duppstadt purchased the establishment in 1970. The site has been a thriving country store for over eighty years. With everything from groceries, household accessories, hunting equipment, leather goods, oil lamps and tourist items, Duppstadt's is a friendly retail magnate for locals, tourist and residents of the nearby resort community, Indian Lake.
The establishement continues to grow and prosper as its owner continually expands the retail mix available at his General Store. He also sold gasoline from pumps located outside his front door. Recently, he made the decision to discontinue the sale of gasoline and abandon his underground storage tanks in place.
"It was a business decision," siad Mr. Duppstadt. "Because of the EPA regulations, the cost to comply and the fact that that gasoline sales only accounted for 10% of my overall business all helped to convince me to drop the sale of fuel. The tanks were there when I purchased the store and we continued with the tradition of selling gasoline, but we were not a full-service garage."
Duppstadt's General Store has two UST units at its front entrance ( 2,000 and 500 gal. ) and one diesel tank ( 550 gal.) located underneath a lawn & garden shop at the rear of the property. The decision was made to abandon all three tanks in place. "I've had a long standing business relationship with McKelvey Oil Co. and I learned about the advantages of the Petro Fill Process when I discussed my decision with Bill McKelvey," said Mr. Duppstadt. "Once he told me about the advantages of the system, I knew that this was the right choice for us. Petro Fill, Inc. sealed all three tanks in one days without any disruption to the front parking surface. We've actually gained parking area, now that we've removed the fuel island," said Mr. Duppstadt. "Petro Fill was the best option and I'm well satisfied with their service, the cost and the results."
An Interview with Rudy White, Ph.D
Rudolph (Rudy) C. White, Ph.D was the Manager of Operations and Engineering at the American Petroleum Institute, in Washington, D.C. He was instrumental in working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in drafting the guidelines set forth in API#1604 for Underground Storage Tanks.
Dr. White was responsible for coordinating all aspects of the API underground Storage Tank Management Program. He held a doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Maryland and had extensive research experience in solid waste disposal and solid science and underground protection. Dr. White was actively involved in the field investigation, contamination and recovery of underground hydrocarbon leaks.
Prior to joining the American Petroleum Institute, Dr. White served inthe Research and Technical Department of Texaco, Inc. between 1960 and 1982.
Q: How did you come to be involved in helping to draft the EPA regulations?
A: It was a normal function of my job. The American Petroleum Institute was involved in all elements, but I was specifically involved with the issue of UST's.Q:Since you were instrumental in drafting these (EPA) policies, what was the time frame that was required in pulling together the guidelines that you worked on?
A: We've had these recommended practices in existence for probably fifteen to twenty years. They are revised on a five-year basis.Q: How soon until they are revised again?
A: Right now they're not scheduled to be revised, because we brought them up-to-date whenever the EPA regulations were published. We made sure that they were in harmony with the EPA regulations. So, a look will probably be taken within the next year or so to see where and when they'll have to be revised.Q: What do you see as the biggest issue facing UST owners?
A: The biggest factor facing the small to mid-sized operator is the issue of financial responsibilities for compliance to the EPA guidelines.Q: Given the option, many operators choose to abandon a tank in place. How would you compare the use of concrete fill, as opposed to sealing a tank with polyurethane foam?
A: Well, I can't really address that, you see, because our recommended practice calls for the option of doing either one that you want.Q: Do you see the two processes being fairly equal, other than the factor that concrete weighs so much more than polyurethane foam?
A: If you're ever talking about having to remove the tank in the future, you're going to have a difficult time removing that tank, as far as I'm concerned. Unless, you do the way I saw people do here - they rip the tank off the concrete, to begin with, then break it up. That takes a big crane.Q: What is your view regarding the oil industry's compliance to the EPA guidelines, set down in December 1987 regarding UST abandonement?
A: I think that the industry has complied with the regulations pretty well, based on the number of communications I've had concerning tank closure and about purchase of our recommended practice of API#1604 that addresses abandoment of underground tanks.Q: What new technology or method of construction will improve the existing system of tank storage?
A: We're seen a lot of good double wall tanks coming onto the market. They're not universally used, but we've seen them become more prevalent, especially when you consider the safety factors. Double wall tanks arent necessary everywhere, but we recommend that a system of secondary containment be in place for environementally sensitive areas.Q: Because of nationwide environmental concerns, isn't it becoming increasingly difficult to dispose of USTs once they've been dug up? Many scrap metal dealers won't take them anymore, because of the fact of gasoline permeating the metal. Have you gotten any feedback on that?
A: No, I haven't gotten any real feedback on that lately. A few years ago, one of the major problems was that scrap dealers were not as much concerned with the degassing of the tank, they were more concerned that there was some sludge that may remain in the tank that may be hazardous material.Q: What views do you see for the future regarding further guidelines by the EPA related to UST abandonment? Is there a better solution? If so, what might that be?
A: I think that you'll see sticking with the guidelines as they now exist. You may see that some individual states may be coming up with different guidelines as to what's the best way to abandon the tank.Q: What was the major issue that faced The American Petroleum Institute and the issue of EPA compliance under the Bush Administration?
A: The biggest problem was getting the word out! The transfer of information from the EPA to each state level, then out to the individual user levels. There may still some people out there who haven't gotten the word yet!