The owner of a rural gas station in Oklahoma called on us to help remediate leaking above-ground fuel tanks. We arrived at the location and initiated a gas station leak cleanup project.
During an upgrade of fuel lines at an active gas station and grocery store in rural Oklahoma, it was discovered that fuel had been released into the subsurface from a leak in the system. We helped the owner get into the state indemnity fund, which pays for 99% of the investigation and cleanup.
Initial soil borings were advanced and groundwater monitoring wells installed to a depth of 40 feet below ground surface. It was then discovered that approximately 10 feet of free product gasoline was floating on top of the water table in the vicinity of the above-ground fuel tanks behind the facility. Periodic hand bailing of the free product was performed while the project moved forward with delineation of contamination.
Eventually, approximately 1,500 gallons of gasoline were recovered and disposed. Twenty-nine monitoring/recovery wells were installed, and the gasoline plume was delineated. Four water supply wells were plugged to protect residents from potential contaminated drinking water, and the facility was connected to the rural water system, all paid for by the state indemnity fund. A surfactant flush remediation was designed and approved by the state. That portion of the project is now awaiting funding.
Because of our experience and knowledge of rural gas stations in Oklahoma, we are approved by the state’s Petroleum Tank Division as a underground storage tank removal service, and are often referred by them for projects such as this.
