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Underground Oil Tank Removal

Removing a buried heating oil tank means locating it, emptying it, excavating, removing the tank, checking the soil, and backfilling. Published figures put underground heating-oil tank removal at $1,000–$3,000+1, with a Pennsylvania average of $1,9002.

What the job involves

  1. Locate the tank and lines (a sweep if the location is unknown)3
  2. Pump out remaining oil and sludge
  3. Excavate and remove the tank
  4. Inspect the excavation; collect soil samples (typically 2–3)2
  5. Backfill and restore
  6. Receive a written report2

Rules

Pennsylvania's Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act (Act 32) excludes tanks "used for storing heating oil for consumptive use on the premises where stored" from its underground storage tank definition4, and DEP's regulations exclude them from the aboveground definition too5. DEP states plainly: "Home heating oil tanks are not regulated"6. So no state rule forces a homeowner to pull a working or old home heating oil tank. The real reasons people act are below.

Cost

JobPublished figureSource
Above-ground / basement tank removal$500–$1,5001
Above-ground tank removalaverage $1,1002
Underground heating-oil tank removal$1,000–$3,000+1
Underground heating-oil tank removalaverage $1,9002
Soil sample lab analysisabout $220 each, typically 2–3 samples2
Tank sweep (magnetometry), residential lot$250–$500 (Philadelphia source)3

Leaks change the picture: cleanup is a separate, larger project2,1. Figures are published ranges, not quotes.

Lehigh Valley towns with the most oil-heated homes

Share of occupied homes heated mainly by fuel oil or kerosene, estimated by the Census7:

TownFuel-oil shareHomes (± margin of error)
Coopersburg40.3%442 ± 96
Wind Gap39.9%603 ± 142
Pen Argyl39.2%545 ± 184
Moore Township32.2%1,113 ± 208
Bangor31.7%630 ± 197
Nazareth30.3%908 ± 208

For comparison: Allentown 14.1%, Easton 8.6%7. These are 5-year survey estimates; small towns have wide margins of error.

FAQ

Does PA DEP require me to remove my home heating oil tank?

No. Tanks storing heating oil burned on the premises are excluded from the state program, and DEP says home heating oil tanks are not regulated4,6. Owners usually act because of a sale, a lender, an insurer, or leak risk.

Can I sell a house with a buried oil tank in PA?

State law doesn't prohibit it, but you must disclose known material defects8, and the buyer's lender may require inspection or documentation9,10.

Get a free quote

Tell us where the tank is (basement, side yard, buried, or unknown) and whether you're buying, selling, or refinancing. Allentown Tanks will connect you with a qualified local tank contractor. (215) 434-1322 · Request a quote

Sources

  1. Harned Durham Energy, heating oil tank removal cost
  2. Curren Environmental, PA oil tank removal cost
  3. Flagstone, Philadelphia oil tank guide
  4. Act 32 §103 (UST definition excludes heating oil for consumptive use)
  5. 25 Pa. Code §245.1 definitions
  6. PA DEP Storage Tank Data ("Home heating oil tanks are not regulated")
  7. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25040 House Heating Fuel, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
  8. 68 Pa.C.S. §7303 seller disclosure
  9. Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-1.4-08 Environmental Hazards Appraisal Requirements
  10. Kash Mortgage Group, PA buyer guide
  11. PA DEP Installer/Inspector Certification (certified company list)
  12. PA DEP Storage Tanks Financial Assistance (Underground Heating Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement Program)
  13. PA DEP, Apply for Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

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