Underground tank leak detection methods

Book · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5886344

Niaki, Shahzad; Broscious, J A

In recent years, the increase in leaks from underground gasoline storage tanks has had a significant adverse environmental impact on the US. Current estimates from government and industry sources are that between 1.5 to 3.5 million underground storage tanks exist in the nation. Estimates of the number of leaking tanks range from 75,000 to 100,000; and 350,000 others may develop leaks within the next five years. The 1983 National Petroleum News Factbook Issue forecasts the existence of approximately 140,000 gasoline service stations in the US at the end of 1983. New York State estimates that 19% of its 83,000 active underground gasoline tanks are now leaking. Maine estimates that 25% of its 1,600 retail gasoline underground tanks are leaking approximately 11 million gallons yearly. In Michigan 39% of ground water contamination incidents are attributed to storage tanks. One of the primary causes of tank leakage is corrosion of the storage tanks. Product loss from leaking tanks may cause an adverse effect on the environment, endanger lives, reduce income, and require the expenditure of millions of dollars for cleanup. To prevent or reduce the adverse effects of gasoline leakage, an accurate method must be used to determine whether or not an underground tank is leaking.

• OSTI ID: 5886344
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
022000* -- Petroleum-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ABSTRACTS
ANIMALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
CONTAINERS
CONTAMINATION
CORROSION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUELS
GASOLINE
GASOLINE SERVICE STATIONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LEADING ABSTRACT
LEAK DETECTORS
LEAKS
LIQUID FUELS
MAMMALS
MAN
MARKETERS
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PRIMATES
RETAILERS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
STORAGE
TANKS
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
USA
VERTEBRATES