Rocky sheltered cove below coastal pasture and scattered stone cottages
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Oil & fuel tank specialistsacross South West England

From Avonmouth’s fuel terminals to Exeter dairy farms and Falmouth harbour businesses, Britteco cleans, removes and decommissions commercial oil and fuel tanks across the South West. Engineers travel from our Banbury base.

Get a Quote →Call 0800 677 1155
OFTEC registeredISO 9001:2015CHAS accreditedBases in Banbury & Harrogate
We cover nationwideSouth West jobs are planned from Banbury; the same crews work UK-wide.
The region at a glance

Oil-heated, port-heavy and close to water

The 2021 Census found 7.1% of South West households heat with oil alone, more than twice the England figure of 3.2%, and the share passes 10% in Cornwall, Wiltshire and Somerset. Off-grid homes usually mean off-grid farms, holiday parks and workshops too, each with a bulk tank of heating oil or gas oil.

Fuel also moves through the region at scale. Avonmouth has dockside petroleum storage, Royal Portbury takes roughly a quarter of UK aviation fuel imports, and Plymouth, Falmouth and Poole keep marine and plant fuel close by.

With the Somerset Levels, the Severn estuary and a long, salty coastline, a weeping seam or cracked bund can reach water fast, so inspection and containment come first.

  • Farm, estate and holiday park tanks
  • Port and industrial storage around the Severn
  • Sludge, water and diesel bug cleared
  • Old steel and underground tanks removed or filled
Counties in South West England

Choose your county

Each county page covers local towns, typical sites and the rules that apply.

Broad urban harbour with brick waterfront buildings and moored boats
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Bristol

Industrial storage at Avonmouth and Portbury, plus generator and plant fuel across the city.

Bristol tank services
Stone harbour walls and a coastal village beside a rocky bay
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Cornwall

The region's highest oil-heating share, with china clay, dairy and harbour sites served by planned visits.

Cornwall tank services
Sunken country lane between hedges leading towards a village and green fields
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Devon

Dairy farms, Plymouth's naval and port activity, and river catchments from the Exe to the Tamar.

Devon tank services
Coastal footpath and stone wall above chalk cliffs and farmland
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Dorset

Harbour, marina and oilfield country around Poole, over chalk that holds the county's groundwater.

Dorset tank services
Limestone village and stone church among wooded rolling countryside
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Gloucestershire

Cotswold estates, Severn docks and Forest of Dean quarries, split between two Environment Agency areas.

Gloucestershire tank services
Shallow wetland pools, reeds and pasture beneath low green hills
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Somerset

Mendip quarries, dairy farms and Levels flood risk, with major construction near Bridgwater.

Somerset tank services
Open chalk downland and a stone-built village beyond a grassy slope
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Wiltshire

Salisbury Plain's military estate, chalk downland farms and M4 logistics around Swindon.

Wiltshire tank services
Recent work in the South West

A case study from the region

Our largest cleaning job to date was in Bristol.

Large industrial oil storage tank being cleaned in Bristol
Case study · Bristol

Three industrial tanks cleaned, 200,000 litres in total

Three above-ground storage tanks of 40,000, 80,000 and 80,000 litres were cleaned and de-sludged around the site's own operating schedule.

View the Bristol case study →
How we work in the South West

Every South West visit planned in advance

We plan each South West job from photos and site details before anyone sets off.

  1. Photos and details firstSend photos of the tank, data plate and access, plus fuel type and rough volume, so we can pick the right vehicle and crew.
  2. A realistic dateWe book a fixed date once the method, vehicle and crew are agreed, and work in Cornwall and the far west is arranged as a scheduled visit.
  3. Safe work on siteEngineers pump out, clean, de-gas or cut up the tank, keeping fuel, sludge and rinse water contained.
  4. Paperwork you can keepWaste leaves under a Waste Transfer or Consignment Note, and removed tanks come with a Certificate of Disposal or degassing certificate.
Services in the South West

What we do across the region

The core services we bring to commercial sites from Gloucestershire to Cornwall.

Tank cleaningSludge, water and diesel bug removed from heating oil, gas oil and DERV tanks.Explore the service → Tank removal & cold cuttingRedundant steel and plastic tanks drained, cold cut where needed and taken away.Explore the service → Tank inspectionsBund, pipework and fitting checks for tanks near rivers, coast and flood plains.Explore the service → Decommissioning & foam fillingTanks that cannot be lifted out made safe with foam, sand or concrete fill.Explore the service → Underground tank removalBuried tanks at old garages and farmyards emptied and excavated or filled in place.Explore the service → Fuel polishingStored diesel filtered back to usable condition for generators and plant.Explore the service → Emergency fuel deliveryDiesel and heating oil delivered 24/7 from 100 litres, weekends included.Explore the service →

Run out of heating oil or diesel in South West England?

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

Emergency oil delivery0800 677 1155
Rules & local risks

Oil storage rules in a wet, coastal region

Three Environment Agency teams cover the region: Wessex; Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; and West Midlands and Thames for Gloucestershire. The South West Flood Risk Management Plan 2021 to 2027 highlights the Somerset Levels and the Severn.

South West firms keeping over 201 litres of oil must meet the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001: secondary containment of at least 110% of capacity, applied to drums, IBCs and bowsers as well as fixed tanks. GPP2 guidance adds detail on siting and fill points.

After every job you get Waste Transfer or Consignment Notes for fuel and sludge, and a Certificate of Disposal or degassing certificate for the tank.

Questions

South West tank questions

How are visits to South West sites arranged?

Our engineers are based in Banbury. We work from your photos and tank details, agree the method and book a set date, then bring the vehicle, pumps and paperwork needed to finish in one visit. If a site runs out of fuel in the meantime, our 24/7 emergency diesel and heating oil delivery can help.

Does my business need a bunded tank?

Yes, if you store more than 201 litres of oil at a commercial site in England. The containment must hold at least 110% of the tank’s capacity.

Which Environment Agency team covers my site?

Wessex covers Bristol, Somerset, Dorset and most of Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall have their own area, and Gloucestershire is split between West Midlands and Thames.

Can you deliver emergency fuel if we run out?

Yes. Emergency diesel and heating oil runs 24/7, from 100 litres. Call 0800 677 1155 for the earliest slot for your postcode.

Can South West homeowners use Britteco?

Our focus is commercial and industrial sites, but we can help with domestic tank replacement and installation. Read how it works on our home oil tank page.

Nearby areas

Neighbouring regions

Working across a regional boundary? These pages cover the areas next door.

South East EnglandWest MidlandsOxfordshireHampshire

Planning tank work in the South West?

Tell us where the tank is, what it holds and what you need, and we will plan the visit.

Request a quote →Call 0800 677 1155
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