Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District

Tank Degassing FAQ

What is degassing?  Degassing is the removal of organic gases from stationary tanks, containers, or pipelines. Fluids that are degassed include gasoline and crude oil.

Who can degas tanks?  A company permitted with the APCD may degas tanks.

Is a permit needed for tank removal?  An APCD permit is not needed for removing a tank., however a permit is required for the degassing equipment. 

What if I encounter contaminated soil during the tank removal?  If contaminated soil is found during the tank removal process, have the soil immediately removed to an approved disposal site.  Cover the the exposed area and any piles with 20-mil plastic sheeting.  Do not excavate any additional soil beyond what is required to remove tank.  Upon receiving a Fire Department approved Remedial Action Plan, apply for either an APCD Condition exemption (Form -07a) or a permit.

Do I need APCD approval to degas a propane tank?  No.  Propane tanks are exempt from APCD permit.  Our Rule 202 has a provision that states that any control device used on an exempt device is also exempt.

What operations does Rule 343 apply to?  Rule 343 applies to operations at oilfield and pipeline stations.  It also applies to underground gasoline storage tanks.

What companies are permitting by the APCD to do degassing?  These are the following companies who have permits to degas tanks in Santa Barbara County:

Company

ICE or Thermal Oxidizer

Correspondence

Phone

Fax

JEM Degassing

ICE

Bernhardt Bruns

949-551-8114

 

Nieto & Sons

ICE

Steve Nieto

714-990-6855

 

Adams Services

ICE

Ryder Adams

310-523-4430

310-523-1518

K2M Degassing

Thermal Oxidizer

Paul Anderson

562-436-2999

562-495-1039

Envent

Thermal Oxidizer

Steve Sellinger

562-997-9465

562-997-9485

Another company (or the permitted source) may be hired to degas but they must first obtain a permit from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD) which may take more time.

For more information or assistance, call the APCD at (805) 961-8800 or e-mail us at engr@sbcapcd.org.

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