Removing Underground Fuel Storage Tank Systems

The following is a guideline for the removal and disposal of underground fuel storage tank systems in accordance with Division B Sentence 4.3.16.1.(1) of the Alberta Fire Code 2006 and Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo policies.

  1. No person shall remove or dispose of a fuel storage tank system or any part of a system that has not been certified to do so by the Petroleum Tank Management Association of Alberta. A copy of the remover's provincial certification shall be forwarded to the fire prevention branch prior to the issuance of the removal permit.
  2. No fuel storage tank system shall be removed or disposed of without a permit from the Fire Marshal of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
  3. All applications for permits to remove and/or dispose of a storage tank system shall be accompanied by a detailed plan including: approved removers name/address/contact number, proof of retention of an engineering firm to monitor environmental considerations during the removal process, and details regarding the final disposition of residual product, tanks/piping/associated equipment and of contaminated soil (where present).
  4. The Fire Marshal of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo shall be notified at least 30 days prior to the commencement date of removal of any fuel storage tank system. This time frame may be shortened where circumstances are such as to require the tank(s) to be uncovered and removed to reduce a hazard, or where complete removal details are submitted with the removal permit application.
  5. The following procedures, in addition to those indicated in the document, “Underground Storage Tank Licensed A & B Installer/Remover Training Manual” shall be adhered to at all removal sites:
    • All flammable/combustible liquids shall be removed from the tanks and deposited in an approved storage container
    • All flammable vapours shall be purged from the tanks by method acceptable to the fire marshal
    • All openings shall be sealed where possible once the tanks have been purged of flammable vapours
    • All associated piping shall be purged of vapours and capped off or plugged
    • Contaminated soil at the site shall be removed and replaced with clean dry fill to the satisfaction of Alberta Environment - Pollution Control Branch
    • Contaminated soil shall be removed to a location where adequate and accepted treatment can be carried out
    • Site remediation methods such as land farming will require development approval, along with appropriate approval of Alberta Environment - Pollution Control Branch
    • Tanks, once removed, shall be identified as to their previous contents while in transport to their final place of disposal
  6. Removal permits may be obtained upon submission of a completed permit application form to the fire marshal of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Permit fees for tank removals shall be assessed as follows:
    • $200 for the first tank on a site
    • $100 for each additional tank on the same site. Separate sites require separate permits
  7. Following completion of the tank removal and subsequent clean up of the site (where required), the following reports shall be submitted to the fire marshal of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo:
    • Tank removal report from the certified remover
    • Environmental assessment report from the engineering firm retained to assess the environmental considerations and cleanup on the site
    • Confirmation of the final disposition of the tanks and associated piping
  8. The tank or tanks removed and disposed of will be de-registered with the Petroleum Tank Management Association of Alberta on the approved closure report. Copies of this form may be obtained from the Fire Prevention Branch of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

The Fire Marshal of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo may be contacted at:

#2 Tolen Drive
Fort McMurray, Alberta T9H 1G8
Telephone: 780-792-5504
Fax: 780-799-5910

The Petroleum Tank Management Association of Alberta may be contacted at:

Suite 1560, 10303 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Telephone: 780-425-8265
Fax: 780-425-4722

Download a permit application here!