Oil tank soil testing, North Shore
North Shore Oil Tank Removal samples and lab-tests the soil around a buried oil tank in North and West Vancouver, to confirm the tank never leaked or to measure how far it did. It is the step that turns a removal into proof.
The short version
When a tank comes out, we sample the soil in the pit and send it to a lab to test for petroleum hydrocarbons. If the results are within BC's soil standards, you get clean confirmation, which is what buyers, lawyers and insurers want. If they are over, we map the contamination so a cleanup can be scoped and priced. A qualified environmental professional stands behind the results.
Why the soil, not just the tank
An old steel tank that sat in the ground for decades may have corroded and leaked heating oil into the surrounding soil. Pulling the tank does nothing about oil already in the ground. Testing the soil is how you prove one way or the other, and a clean result is the record that clears the property for a sale.
What the lab measures
Samples from around the tank are analysed for the petroleum hydrocarbon fractions that make up heating oil, and the numbers are compared to the standards in BC's Contaminated Sites Regulation. Within standard means clean. Over standard means the extent gets mapped so the right amount of soil, and only the right amount, comes out during remediation.
Part of a straight-through job
Testing usually happens as part of a tank removal, so you deal with one crew from the scan to the paperwork. If you only need soil answered before deciding on removal, we can talk through targeted sampling first.
Soil testing FAQs
Why is soil testing part of an oil tank removal?
Removing the tank is only half the job. Testing the soil is what proves the tank did not leak. That clean confirmation is what a buyer, lawyer or insurer actually wants to see, and it is what protects you from a contamination claim later.
What does the soil test look for?
The lab tests the soil samples for petroleum hydrocarbons, the fingerprint of heating oil, and compares the results against BC's soil standards. If the numbers are within standard, the soil is clean. If they are over, the extent of the contamination is mapped so a cleanup can be scoped.
Can you test soil without removing the tank?
In some cases, yes. If you need to know whether an in-ground tank has leaked before deciding on removal, targeted sampling can give an early read. Full confirmation usually comes once the tank is out and the pit can be sampled properly.
Who signs off on the results?
Soil results are handled by a qualified environmental professional. Their documentation is what stands up in a real-estate transaction and with an insurer.
Need the soil confirmed?
Tell us the address and where the tank is, and we will sort the testing.