Getting rid of heating oil?
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Discussion

Hereward

Original Poster:

4,684 posts

247 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
I recently moved into a house with an oil-fired boiler fed by gasoil.

I have just had a mains gas supply connection made to the house and the oil-fired system is being ripped out in a few weeks.

I will have a few hundred litres of gasoil plus the tank to get rid of. Any ideas how best to sell these? Collection is going to be an issue (not many people own a tanker!).

I think the best thing is to call my supply company and see if they will buy it back. Can anyone think of anything more creative?

B17NNS

18,506 posts

264 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
If you own a diesel car put in in there mixed about 50/50 with regular diesel.

I vaguely remember someone telling me this works but I might be wrong and it may destroy your engine totally.

Hereward

Original Poster:

4,684 posts

247 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
I only have petrol cars.

Good point, though. Gasoil is the same as red diesel.

Steve_W

1,557 posts

194 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Got any neighbours who have oil-fired systems?

Perhaps offer it to them - you'll be amazed at the ingenious ways of pumping out free/cheap fuel folk will come up with and you'll get to meet the new neighbours on good terms. smile

Busamav

2,954 posts

225 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Heating oil is 45p + vat / litre this week .

I would phone the guys who install oil tanks , they will have a market if the tank is 1/2 decent , plus they are used to draining the oil.

Edited by Busamav on Wednesday 24th February 17:26

Grandad Gaz

5,220 posts

263 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
I think you are being optomistic if you expect someone to actually buy it smile

Any farmers near you? They might be interested in taking it away. Is the tank metal or plastic?

mikestrat

2,821 posts

189 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Was in the same position. Had nearly a grand of oil in the tank and most places wanted ~£500 to come and get rid of it. Found a couple of pikey chaps who came and pumped it out to use it themselves. They came from north hampshire way (Tadley I think) but can't find details.

dirkgently

2,160 posts

248 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
B17NNS said:
If you own a diesel car put in in there mixed about 50/50 with regular diesel.

I vaguely remember someone telling me this works but I might be wrong and it may destroy your engine totally.
If HM revenue and customs find out you may well find your engine destroyed.

Simpo Two

89,683 posts

282 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Hereward said:
I will have a few hundred litres of gasoil plus the tank to get rid of. Any ideas how best to sell these?
I suppose you coud stick the whole thing on eBay and see what happens!

Wings

5,901 posts

232 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
dirkgently said:
B17NNS said:
If you own a diesel car put in in there mixed about 50/50 with regular diesel.

I vaguely remember someone telling me this works but I might be wrong and it may destroy your engine totally.
If HM revenue and customs find out you may well find your engine destroyed.
Yes, heating oil will work in a diesel engine/vehicle, the only possibly could arise with the lack of lubrication for the fuel pump, this can be compensated for by adding 1 ltre of engine oil to 25 ltrs of heating oil.

HMR&C often dip a vehicle's fuel tank, and should they find either red diesel or heating oil in a vehicle, then they will seize that vehicle.

anonymous-user

71 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Crank heating up to max and wash the car with hot water via hose pipe for the next few weeks.

Simpo Two

89,683 posts

282 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Wings said:
HMR&C often dip a vehicle's fuel tank, and should they find either red diesel or heating oil in a vehicle, then they will seize that vehicle.
So they have a good stock of diesels for sale... hmm...

B17NNS

18,506 posts

264 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Is dipping still a regular thing then?

I once got dipped when I was driving one of my dad's vans but this was at a time when diesel cars were quite rare.

Transport police (I think?) were just pulling random vans and goods vehicles over. Chatting to the dipper he said he's caught 4 that morning alone.

sparkythecat

8,028 posts

272 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
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Iromically the OPs profile shows his occupation as 'Crude Oil Trading'

Does oil trading get any more crude, than hawking iffy red diesel ?

wink


Hereward

Original Poster:

4,684 posts

247 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
quotequote all
Thanks, some good suggestions here.

I will contact the fuel supplier and the supplier of the tank (which is just a few months old) in the first instance.

Bit reluctant to have strangers turning up with Heath Robinson draining methods unless I have no choice. The tank is awkwardly sited, needing a 30 metre hose run to reach the parking area.

AndyAudi

3,558 posts

239 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
quotequote all
I used to work for fuel company

GasOil (if that's what it is) is used in only a few heating systems most are normally Kerosene. Gas Oil is "Red Diesel" essentially the same stuff put in cars with a dye in it to show reduced Duty has been paid on it. Farmers run their tractors on it.

What Colour is it red = Gasoil/Diesel, faint Green = Kerosene/Parrafin

Be careful of offering it as heating oil if it is not Kerosene.

If it's the red stuff a farmer will likely take it off your hands. You could use it in a diesel car with probably no ill effects other than puting dye into your filters. Trouble is you'd get fined if found & possibly invalidate waranties on car engines.

Fuel Companies who sell the stuff are very unlikely to take it back. As a policy we never sucked back tank contents into our equipment for fear of contamination. Almost all tanks will have a layer of water in the bottom & a layer of Micro Bacteria between the water & oil. (Water comes about by condenstation inside the tank with temperature changes)


Wings

5,901 posts

232 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
quotequote all
For the reason that I mentioned in my earlier post, HMR&C under the Hydrocarbon Oil Regulations Act 2002, legislated for all dealers and some large direct users to be registered. This registration involved all dealers in submitting both monthly returns, and informing HMR&C of any unusual sales of large volumes of certain oils, central heating and paraffin oils being 2 types of those oils. Just going into a retailer, either shop or petrol station, and purchasing over 25 ltres of loose paraffin oil, should result in the retail assistant asking for what use you have purchased the oil for, the taking of your address and the noting down of your car’s registration number.

Heating oil is clear in colour, hence by just dipping a car, by sight is difficult to detect, although HMR&Cs road side test are a lot more sophisticated now, where as with paraffin (and red diesel) HMR&C legislated with the oil companies years ago that a colour dye should be added for easy detection between diesel and paraffin.

None of the above may apply to the OP, although since you are obviously a responsible person, you would want to ensure that the person or company that off loads you of your tank and surplus heating oil, has a Certificate of Approval as a Registered Dealer in Controlled Oil.