NORTH EAST ENGLAND · NORTHUMBERLAND

Industrial tank removal and decommissioningin Northumberland

Britteco handles industrial oil tank removal, removal of diesel tanks and full site decommissioning in Northumberland, from Blyth and Cramlington to Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Our engineers travel from the Harrogate base, and underground tanks that cannot come out are foam filled, as at North Sunderland Harbour in Seahouses.

Get a Quote →Call 0800 677 1155

OFTEC registeredISO 9001:2015CHAS accreditedBases in Banbury & Harrogate

We cover nationwideNorthumberland jobs run from our Harrogate base, and our crews travel anywhere in Britain.

Northumberland at a glance

From the coal coast to offshore wind and remote hill farms

The south-east corner of the county is changing quickly. Blyth’s coal-fired power station closed in 2001, and the town now has the Port of Blyth, Northumberland Energy Park and the Energy Central programme; the UK’s first offshore wind farm was built off Blyth in 2000. Cramlington’s industrial zones hold pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers. When plants close, change use or expand, the old fuel tanks have to be dealt with first.

The coast has its own pressures. Harbours such as Amble at the mouth of the Coquet and North Sunderland at Seahouses still support fishing boats, marinas and boat repairs, and steel tanks in salt air corrode faster than inland ones.

Inland the population thins out, and 7.5% of households rely solely on oil, over double the figure for England. Hill farms, estates and the forestry around Kielder, the largest man-made woodland in England, rely on stored kerosene and red diesel a long way from the nearest supplier.

Industrial oil tank removal on factory and port sites
Site decommissioning before demolition or sale
Underground tanks foam filled with certificates
Coastal and farm tanks inspected for corrosion

Recent work in Northumberland

Foam filling at North Sunderland Harbour

Our published Northumberland case study comes from the harbour at Seahouses.

Case study · North Sunderland

Underground tank foam filling

An underground tank of up to about 3,000 litres was foam filled at the harbour, with a certificate of disposal and foam filling certification issued.

View the North Sunderland case study →

How we work in Northumberland

Planning for remote and difficult sites

Northumberland sites range from port and chemical plants to harbours and hill farms, so the planning has to be right first time.

Gather the detailsPhotos, tank sizes, contents and access notes let us bring the right tanker, pumps and cutting gear on the first trip. For larger site decommissioning we survey in person beforehand.
Make the tanks safeDiesel, heating oil and waste oil are pumped out and segregated, and lines are drained and isolated. Clean fuel can be transferred for reuse on site.
Remove or fillTanks above ground or within reach are cleaned and gas-freed, then cold cut into sections for haulage. Underground tanks that must stay, as at North Sunderland Harbour, are foam filled.
Certify the siteYou get waste transfer or consignment notes, a certificate of disposal or degassing certificate, and foam filling certification where it applies, ready for a buyer, landlord or demolition contractor.

Services in Northumberland

What we do across Northumberland

Most Northumberland enquiries are about removal and decommissioning, so those come first.

Tank removal & cold cuttingIndustrial oil tank removal and removal of diesel tanks, sectioned by cold cutting and hauled away.Explore the service → Tank decommissioningFull site decommissioning of fuel systems before a plant closes, changes hands or is demolished.Explore the service → Decommissioning & foam fillingUnderground and harbour-side tanks foam filled when lifting them out is not practical.Explore the service → Underground tank removalBuried tanks excavated and removed where the ground is being cleared.Explore the service → Plant & machinery removalAssociated pumps, pipework and plant stripped out along with redundant tanks.Explore the service → Tank inspectionsCorrosion checks on coastal and farm tanks exposed to salt air and hard winters.Explore the service → Tank cleaningSludge and water removed from diesel and heating oil tanks that are staying in service.Explore the service → Emergency fuel delivery24/7 drops of diesel or heating oil, from 100 litres, for remote farms and sites.Explore the service →

Run out of heating oil or diesel in Northumberland?

24/7 emergency heating oil, kerosene and diesel delivery from 100 litres, including nights, weekends and bank holidays.

Emergency oil delivery 0800 677 1155

Rules & local risks

Rivers, aquifers and the North Sea coast

Northumberland is covered by the Environment Agency’s North East area, which takes in the Tyne and Tweed catchments, the Wansbeck and the smaller rivers that drain to the North Sea. Beneath parts of the county lie the Fell Sandstone and Magnesian Limestone aquifers, and Kielder Water in the west is a major reservoir for the region, so a leak from a farm or forestry tank can matter well downstream.

On the coast, salt spray speeds up corrosion of steel tanks, fittings and bunds, and harbour sites sit directly beside the sea. Regular inspection, sound bunds and protected fill points are the best defences.

Above 201 litres, a business’s oil store is covered by the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001, and its bund has to take 110% of the tank’s capacity. When we decommission a site or remove tanks we issue waste transfer or consignment notes and a certificate of disposal or degassing certificate.

Towns we cover

Northumberland towns we work in

We cover the whole county, from the industrial south-east to the Scottish border.

Blyth
Cramlington
Ashington
Morpeth
Bedlington
Ponteland
Hexham
Prudhoe
Alnwick
Amble
Seahouses
Berwick-upon-Tweed

Questions

Northumberland tank questions

Do you handle industrial oil tank removal in Northumberland?

Yes. We pump out the remaining oil, clean and de-gas the tank, cold cut it on site and take the pieces away. This works for single tanks and for several tanks on one site.

What does site decommissioning involve?

We identify every tank and fuel line, drain and isolate them, then remove or fill each one. At the end you receive a single set of paperwork covering waste, disposal and degassing, so the site can be sold, let or demolished.

Can you remove diesel tanks from a working site?

Yes. Removal of diesel tanks is common on plant yards and port sites, and we can phase it so a new tank is running before the old one is taken out.

Is foam filling an option for a tank next to the harbour?

Yes, where the tank cannot be lifted out safely. At North Sunderland Harbour we foam filled an underground tank of up to about 3,000 litres and issued a certificate of disposal and foam filling certification.

How do you plan work in Northumberland?

Our engineers travel from Harrogate. We plan from your photos and tank details, book a date and bring the tanker, pumps and cutting gear needed to finish in one visit, grouping more than one job on a trip where we can. If a remote farm or site runs out of fuel, our 24/7 emergency diesel and heating oil delivery is there for it.

Nearby areas

Areas near Northumberland

Our Harrogate team covers the rest of the North East and beyond.

North East England North Yorkshire

Decommissioning a Northumberland site?

Send us the number of tanks, what they held and the site address, and we will plan a visit that gets everything done in as few trips as possible.

Request a quote →Call 0800 677 1155

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