Try to find out where the leak is coming from and stop the flow and further oil leaking as soon as possible. (This may include having the tank emptied)

Contain any escaped oil. Use some oil absorbent material such as sand or earth and temporary sealant if available.  Do not let any oil migrate into drains or watercourses. Do not in any circumstances use detergents or a hose to wash the affected area as this will only serve to spread the contamination.

Contact your insurance company. If you are covered for this type of incident they can send out a loss adjuster and arrange for contractors to carry out any necessary works.

If you are not covered by your insurance policy you may need to employ specialist contractors to carry out a ground investigation and provide recommendations for the clean up.

Pollution incidents should be reported to the appropriate authority as soon as possible so that effective action can be taken. The emergency services should be contacted where life or property is threatened.
For pollution incidents likely to affect rivers, lakes or groundwater - contact the Environment Agency

DO NOT DELAY TAKING ACTION OR ASSUME THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY
 

Regular checks and maintenance on your oil tank and supply pipes may avoid the problem of a leak. The cost of a service will be considerably less than the cost of clearing up after a leak.

If your tank is not bunded it would be advisable to build one. A bund is a collection trough which sits under the oil tank and, in the event of a leak, will retain all of the oil stored in the tank. New tanks may also be covered by regulations that require secondary containment such as a bund.

If you are installing a new or replacement tank use an OFTEC registered installation technician. You will need to comply with building regulations.

Site fuel tanks and pipe-work as far away from drains, streams or ponds as possible to reduce the risk of pollution.
Have thorough and regular maintenance checks carried out on the whole heating system not just the boiler.
Check the condition of the tank and pipe-work regularly. If it is a metal tank, ensure it is painted regularly to avoid the metal corroding, including underneath.

Be aware of black staining on tank supports or areas of staining or plant dieback along the line of the pipe-work as this may indicate a leak.

Carefully monitor your oil usage pattern. A small leak can add up over time to a large loss of oil. This is particularly important if you have underground pipe-work.

Do not allow your tank to be over-filled.

Supervise deliveries if possible.

Be aware of any oily smells as this may indicate a leak.

Not all household insurance policies cover for this type of leak. Check your insurance policy and if it does not cover oil leaks, consider including this in your cover. If a leak occurs and you are not insured, you may have to pay for the clean-up out of your own pocket. Also check any guarantees which came with the boiler, tank or installers. You maybe able to seek assistance from one of the above if the guarantee is still in force when the incident.

There is no legal requirement for a spill responder to be accredited. There is a scheme approved by the Environment Agencies of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Using a company that is accredited under this scheme gives a client confidence that the company has invested in its staff, equipment, systems and should have the appropriate insurance policies.

AES-Marconi is accredited by UK Spill and the Environmental Agency for oil spill response.

AES-Marconi operate a manned 24hours a day 365 days a year and guarantee to respond to your problem with 1 hour of contact.

In England and Wales there is no legal requirement for an individual or company to report a spill incident to the Environment Agency (EA).

However, if an impact to controlled waters, which include surface waters and groundwater, occurs, the EA have powers to enforce investigation and clean up works or undertake the required works and recoup these costs.

If an incident occurs and the EA subsequently find you responsible it is likely that this will result in prosecution and the level of the fine is likely to be greater if no clean up has been undertaken and if the EA were not informed at the time of the incident.

Currently there is no specific legal requirement in Northern Ireland to bund domestic, agricultural, commercial or industrial oil storage tanks. It is, however, sound practice as spilling oil is a legal offence, which may on conviction lead to a fine of up to £20,000 and/ or 3 months jail. Also the bill for cleaning up oil spills can be very high; small spills have cost up to £100,000, and for large ones the sky's the limit. An environmental insurer may insist on proper containment before issuing a policy. Legislation on agricultural oil storage in Northern Ireland is expected soon.

If you store oil in England or Scotland, you must comply with the general requirements of the Oil Storage Regulations. These regulations do not apply in Northern Ireland and Wales. However, you should still consider meeting the requirements of the regulations, as they aim to prevent water pollution. If you pollute water you are committing an offence and you may be prosecuted and fined.