Underground Storage Tanks (UST) locating
in Detroit, Michigan

GPRS works with many environmental companies assisting with subsurface surveying. Our services range from locating utilities to the identification of underground storage tanks (UST’s). Most of these companies look to GPRS in helping them determine if UST’s are still in the ground and if so, where they are located. On a recent job, GPRS was asked to mobilize to an elementary school in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Historical records indicated that a UST existed outside the boiler room of the school but records were sketchy as to exactly where. The survey began on a concrete slab near the boiler room but turned up nothing was beneath it as suspected. Further investigation with the ground penetrating radar found the UST outside the opposite wall of the boiler room. In addition to not only locating the UST, GPRS was able to locate and trace the path of the product lines leading out to the UST. One of the many benefits of the GPR for these studies is the ability to not only locate the UST but also know the approximate size. As you can see in the picture below, all 4 corners of the UST were identified and staked.

GPRS Technician John Kessinger is shown with the ground penetrating radar
looking for the product lines leading into the boiler room.

What does a UST look like on Radar?
Ground surface UST

The radar scan above shows a cross section profile of a UST that was found in the
Detroit Michigan area. The bright white coloration indicates a strong reflection caused from the metallic siding of the UST. This tank was buried approximately 3 ½’ below the surface.