Why Soil Testing Is Not Optional
Soil testing after underground oil tank removal is not a formality — it is a legal requirement in TX and the only way to confirm whether your tank leaked petroleum into the surrounding soil. Without a clean soil test, you cannot obtain a closure report from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and without a closure report, you cannot sell, refinance, or insure your property without restriction.
What the Testing Process Involves
After the tank is removed, our team collects soil samples from beneath and around the excavation using a hand auger or hollow-stem auger. Each sample is evaluated on-site using a photoionization detector (PID), which screens for volatile organic compounds in real time. The sample with the highest field reading is sent to a state-certified laboratory for detailed analysis.
The laboratory analyses each sample for:
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH): A broad measure of petroleum contamination in the soil.
- BTEX compounds: Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene — the most toxic components of heating oil and the primary regulatory concern.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Compounds that vapourise at room temperature and can migrate into buildings and groundwater.
How to Read Your Soil Test Results
Your laboratory report will show the concentration of each contaminant in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of soil. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sets specific action levels for each contaminant — concentrations below these levels are considered acceptable and allow the case to be closed. Concentrations above action levels require remediation.
We review the results with you in plain language and advise on next steps. If the results are clean, we file the closure report immediately. If contamination is found, we develop a remediation plan and manage the entire cleanup process.
Rush Results for Real Estate Deadlines
Standard laboratory turnaround is 5–10 business days. If you have a closing deadline approaching, rush results are available in 24–48 hours for an additional fee. Call Oil Tank Removal Austin, TX at (737) 306-1363 to discuss your timeline.