Groundwater is one of the most important resources in living circle and the natural resources in Iran. It has been estimated that the Iranian groundwater resource will he unused for the next ten years if the rate of its contamination by polluted processes will be continued.
One of the most important pollution sources of groundwater is leakage of petroleum products from the underground storage tanks. The hydrocarbon leakage appear from the corrosion of tanks and other factors. The hydrocarbon leakages are not only result in pollution of groundwater but also in losses of great amount of sources of energy in IRAN. For the first time. the hydrocarbon storage tanks in IRAN in terms of their dispersion circumstances and their leakages in all of the country is investigated. The existed rules and regulations and the methods of leak detection and technical inspection associated with the underground storage tanks are presented. This study shows that in order to protect the environment and the losses of great amount of energy in IRAN, the organization in charge should pay attention to this issue.
Ground waters are one of the most important sources in living circle and also they are one of the most important natural sources of Iran. Unfortunately in the last few years, these sources which are the most important origin of the consumed sweet water, are severely polluted by guilty proceses. So that the Iranian proficient of the natural sources say. until ten years, if this pollute process continues, these source will be unconsumed. completely.
One -of the most important pollution sources of ground waters is leaking of underground storage tanks from petroleum products. This phenomenon appears from corrosion of tanks and other factors. This case not only result In pollution of groundwater but also in losses of great amount of petroleum products being the most important sources of energy in Iran.
From 1970s in some of the countries around the world, different works have been done in order to protect the environment. One of these works was the protection of groundwater aquifers. The pollution of groundwater aquifers, are not appear from the eyes and have very intense effects on the human health.
In this paper the underground tanks and their dispersion circumstances in Iran are investigated. Also, some methods for leak detection and technical inspection which they are used in Iran and other countries are presented.
More than 97%percent of water in the earth is located in the oceans and about 2% in the iced water of poles, so about 99% of total water in the world are not usefully available because sea water is salty and also they have not suitable geographical positions. Table 1 shows that less than 1% of waters in the world are usable, 0.001 % of this water exists as water vapour in atmosphere,0.009%in the lakes of sweet water, and 0.0001 % in rivers and creeks. Groundwater are the most usable water in the world which is 0.1368 %.
