Any registered petroleum Underground Storage Tank (UST) that is being removed or abandoned in place must be properly closed. Frequently this will occur during the replacement or upgrade of existing UST systems to meet the new and ever-changing state and federal regulatory requirements. Any owner preparing to permanently close or upgrade a UST system should seek professional guidance to insure proper requirements are met. TERRA-COM has extensive experience in petroleum UST system closures and can provide comprehensive closure assessment services for petroleum systems in Florida and Georgia.
The purpose of a UST closure assessment is to determine if a petroleum release has occurred. Soil vapors are screened in the field and soil and groundwater samples are collected for laboratory analysis to aid in this determination. Factors that need to be considered in selecting sample types and locations include the method of closure, the chemical characteristics of the petroleum products stored, the type of backfill, the depth to groundwater, and other factors. If a discharge is discovered by closure assessment results, a site assessment must then be initiated.
