With the decrease in the use of the petrol car that is going to be foist upon us as petrochemicals run out we need to think about what we going to do with the Petrol stations left over. There is a considerable process around the decommissioning of a petrol station and though the options for what can be done with them are significant the work involved is long and costly. The main concern is safety and the Tank Decommissioning that needs to be done. What is involved in the removal of the petrol filling station so that it can be used for something else?
The first stage is the removal of all the above ground structures. The tank underneath will need to wait for this to be removed although the process to remove any excess fuel can be started if there is no danger to the other structures or the crew working on them. Removal of the over ground structures can be made by traditional methods but in some cases there are above ground tanks that needs to be removed and decommissioned. Demolishing of the upper structure such as the shop and car wash areas are standard as the thick concrete base should provide adequate protection to the underground tanks.
The removal of the canopy is a slightly complicated job. Separating the canopy from the support rods can be somewhat problematic as the top structure is large and unwieldy. Care must be taken to ensure that the sections are completely removed leaving smaller sections rather than as a whole.
The tank that held the fuel must be completely drained and sealed so that nothing from the original fuel in terms of fumes or liquid can escape. This will have hugely detrimental effects on the environment if a mistake is made. Sand and other absorbents are added to the tank and the open pipes are filled with concrete. Once it is clear from the local council official inspector that the tank is sealed in the long process of removing the thick concrete forecourt can beginning. This is conducted some weeks after the filling of the tank as there has to be a variety of environmental checks see if there is any subsequent leakage of liquids or by stored fumes in the area.
Once the area is cleared then the site can be redeveloped for its new purpose.
