Removal & Decommissioning
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Britteco was commissioned to complete the planned decommissioning of an underground fuel tank at North Sunderland Harbour in Seahouses, Northumberland.
The tank was estimated to have a capacity of up to 3,000 litres. It was positioned beneath an open harbour-side working area, with direct access available for the specialist vehicles, hoses and equipment required for the project.
The work was organised as a carefully coordinated two-stage programme. Stage one involved emptying and preparing the underground tank. Britteco then returned with dedicated foam-mixing and injection equipment to complete the underground tank foam filling, secure the access point and provide the associated completion documentation.
The project was not a single isolated site visit. It required planning, separate equipment mobilisation, tank emptying, preparation, specialist foam filling and final documentation.
Good vehicle access helped, but the buried tank, harbour-side working area and need for different specialist equipment meant the operation still had to be delivered in controlled phases.
The complete operation had to be carried out through the existing underground tank access point.
The tank had to be emptied and prepared before the foam-filling stage could begin.
Vacuum extraction and specialist foam-filling equipment were required during different stages of the programme.
Vehicles, plant and hose routes had to be positioned safely within the harbour-side area.
Tank access, estimated capacity, vehicle position and the equipment required for each phase were reviewed before delivery.
Vacuum equipment was positioned close to the tank and the contents were removed through the existing access point.
Specialist foam equipment was mobilised, the tank was filled in situ and the access point was secured on completion.
The first stage made the underground tank ready for its permanent foam-filling solution.
The team positioned the vacuum tanker close to the access hatch and established the required hose connection. The tank contents were removed so that the vessel could be prepared for the next stage of decommissioning.
The access arrangement, estimated tank capacity and surrounding working area were checked as part of the preparation process. This allowed the correct specialist equipment and materials for stage two to be planned before the return visit.
Britteco returned with dedicated foam-mixing and injection equipment to complete the decommissioning in situ.
The specialist system was positioned beside the underground tank and connected through the prepared access opening. Foam was then introduced into the vessel in a controlled operation, with the filling process monitored throughout the works.
This approach allowed the tank to be permanently decommissioned without excavating and removing the complete vessel from the harbour-side area.
Once the underground tank foam filling had been completed, the vessel was left decommissioned in situ and the access point was closed and secured.
The completed project demonstrates Britteco's ability to coordinate tank emptying, specialist mobilisation and underground tank foam filling as one managed decommissioning programme.
Common questions
The tank is emptied, cleaned where needed, and then either removed or filled in place with an inert material such as foam. Filling in place is often chosen when removal would disturb buildings, roads or quaysides.
Digging out a buried tank means breaking out the ground, supporting the excavation and reinstating the surface afterwards. Foam filling made the North Sunderland Harbour tank permanently safe without any of that.
Emptying and preparing the tank came first, then the specialist foam filling. Splitting the work lets each stage be done properly and checked before moving on.
No. Foam is pumped in through a suitable access point, so a simple manway or pipe connection is often enough.
Yes. Once the tank is filled we issue a certificate recording the work, which you can keep for your records and any future property or site transactions.
Britteco provides underground tank emptying, foam filling and decommissioning services across the UK. Tell our team about the tank, its location and the site conditions, and we will advise on the most practical approach.
