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Pete C.

wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:15:08 -0400, Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Rob, years back I used to monitor the removal of gas and oil tanks in
CA. Weren't allowed to use any steel tools (not even wrenches) due to
spark danger. Everything had to be brass or equivalent non-sparking.
Reg's required us to dump dry ice into the tank to displace the volatile
stuff. After 3-4 hours we would finally get low enough readings with an
electronic detector (sniffer) to allow tank removal and off-haul to a
metal recycler.

I'd expect no less from the CA govmint G. Well, Massachusetts holds
its own in the my-regs-are-more-onerous-than-yours race. Guys show up
in moon suits to remove oil tanks. Gimme a break!

NOTE: There are many documented cases of recyclers being blown to bits
from cutting into tanks delivered as above. Reason? They would wait
weeks or months to cut into the tank by which time the tank is again
full of volatiles that came from the greasy insides. These tanks were
all completely empty but for a tiny bit of product along with greasy,
oily sides.

DO NOT cut into the tank with anything that is metal (saws-all etc.)
unless you very recently have displaced the formed gases with either dry
ice, water, or whatever you have that is heavier than the explosives.

Please!! Get a grip! The OP has a fuel oil tank, fercrissakes, it's
NOT going to blow up, catch fire, or do anything other than smell bad!

Bob
Don't count on it.
I've seen oil-pans blown off engines when someone tries to braze on a
patch. Engine oil is a lot less volatile than fuel oil..

Engine oil, and the oil sump in general gets contaminated with gasoline
blow-by past the piston rings, and 99.999% probability it was that
gasoline vapor that blew the pan off, not the engine oil.

A quick-cut cold saw might be safe, but I'd staw away with an an
abrasive cut-off disc.

I'd go with a sawzall personally, however I would dump some dry ice in
since it's cheap insurance.