CT Homeowners May Find Their Oil Tanks At Risk

If you are heating your home with oil, you may find that your oil tank is at risk.

A not insignificant number of storage tank owners have found that biofuels have caused corrosion in their tanks and/or tank equipment and components. The reason for this is not due to the composition of the tank and equipment, but rather the nature of how biofuels interact with the environment.

Newer fuels with high ethanol concentrations absorb more water from their environment. As fuel absorbs water, layers can form in the stored fuel. So, what’s causing the corrosion is not the fuel, but the water it draws in from the environment. Water allows microbes to grow in the tank and its components. These microbes eat the organic components of the biofuel. They produce acids as a byproduct, which in turn can degrade the tank and equipment.

What is the Biofuel Law in Connecticut?

This bill requires heating oil sold in the state to be a low-carbon fuel blend with a specified percentage of biodiesel that increases over time, beginning July 1, 2022. The bill sets the minimum amount of biodiesel in heating oil at 5% in 2022 and increases it on a schedule to 50% in 2035.

Conn. (WFSB) – As of July 1, the rules for heating oil are changing in Connecticut. A new law requires biodiesel to be mixed in with heating oil. As of July 1, only a small portion of biodiesel must be added to home heating oil. By 2035 it will have to be 50-50.

The dissolved water in biodiesel can also cause problems if the fuel is stored for more than a few months. This water can cause acids to form in the fuel, which can eventually eat a hole in the storage tank.

CT homeowners that heat with oil may find that their oil tanks are at risk. As the government requires an increase in the blend of biofuels with conventional fuel, these blends increase the risk of corrosion.

Condensation from temperature fluctuations produces water to form inside the tanks. This water can often lead by oxidation of the ethanol leading to the formation of microbial acids. This will corrode steel tanks. It’s possible many homeowners will find the need to replace their oil tanks. This is an expensive cost.