Our fuel delivery standards

We’ll carry out a pre-delivery assessment of your tank to make sure all visible sides of your tank and equipment are in good condition and properly connected. If our drivers have doubts about your equipment, the delivery can’t be made. 

While our drivers will always make sure every delivery can be carried out safely and securely, there are some things you can do and should be aware of that will help them run smoothly. 

Plastic tanks

• Plastic tanks should be fully supported and installed on a flat surface. If you have a horizontal tank with load bearing shoulders with both the tank and the piers in good condition and supporting the full width of the tank, we can carry out the fill.
• If your tank has cracks (discoloured lines), it means your tank is weak and may fail. However in emergency cases, such as if you have run out of oil during a cold winter, we may be able to carry out a limited delivery. Splits in your tank (where a crack has opened) mean your tank has failed and we can’t deliver oil to it. 
• Plastic tanks can’t be repaired and must be replaced. If your tank is showing signs of repair, we will not be able to deliver to it. 

Metal tanks

A metal tank doesn’t need to be fully supported, but any supports need to be in good condition. If not regularly maintained, metal fuel tanks can corrode and cause a tank to fail. But unlike plastic tanks, metal ones can be repaired. 

Before making a delivery, we will need to establish the ullage – or the unfilled capacity – of your tank, and if this can’t be done, the delivery can’t proceed. Remember, the easiest way to work out your tank’s spare capacity is to use Tankscout, which lets you remotely monitor your fuel level and automatically raise your next order when you’re running low. 

Before beginning the fill, the driver may decide to do an initial minimal fill to test if your tank’s gauge is working correctly. If the driver has doubts and there is no other way to determine the ullage, we won’t be able to deliver. 

• An offset fill is where your tank is filled without being directly accessed. Where the fill point is connected to the tank by pipework, we’ll check that the pipework is correctly connected before delivery.
• We can carry out a blind fill as long as the driver can work out the ullage and monitor the delivery, and your tank has a working overfill alarm fitted.
• If you have an underground tank, it needs to have been specifically built to be stored underground and correctly installed. If it is a metal tank, it will need to have had a pressure test in the last three years. 

Due to the heightened risk of spillage, we’re unable to deliver to houseboats or small pleasure craft. 

The minimum delivery we can make to your tank is 500 litres. However, this rule can be overridden if we notice that your tank doesn’t have enough space, if continuing the delivery would lead to an incident, or if there is a mechanical issue. 

We can deliver to enclosed spaces as long as there is adequate ventilation so that an open fill delivery can take place, with the tank located sufficiently so that vapours are removed from the delivery area.

Our drivers can deliver to most tanks as long as they are stored correctly and safely. But there are some conditions where we may not be able to deliver. For instance, if your tank is stored at height, our drivers will need to assess the risk of falling before attempting delivery.

Before carrying out a refill at height, our drivers will consider whether it’s possible to carry out the delivery from ground level. If this isn’t possible, then the driver can use a fixed ladder to reach the delivery point. The driver may also use a Watson Fuels portable ladder.

We can’t deliver to any tank that involves delivering through a house, living quarters or conservatory due to the risks that come with a potential hose failure. Instead, our drivers will look for an alternative route, ask to relocate the tank or attempt an offset fill.