Petroleum storage terminals are storage areas for a variety of petroleum products, including crude oil, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel.  Such terminals also hold natural gas and propane.  All of these substances are stored in aboveground tanks, and a group of these tanks is referred to as a tank farm.  Storage tanks can be of nearly any size, ranging from those large enough for the needs of several major fuel companies to small ones for individual local suppliers.

Although attempts have been made to prevent the health and environmental hazards they pose, petroleum storage terminals continue to greatly impact surrounding communities.  Not only do leaking tanks and past spills still present hazards, but poor environmental practices can lead to new oil spills and thus to widespread contamination of soil, water, and air.  Spills can also cause devastation to the local environment.  Groundwater contamination is becoming quite common, and it often reaches drinking water.  Other problems with storage terminals include storm water run-off that can carry petroleum products and can cause erosion and harm to nearby land and water.

Such contamination can lead to a variety of adverse effects.  Contaminated drinking water and toxic fumes from petroleum compounds can cause headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, and various cancers.  Contaminated groundwater can lead to contaminated air, which also can cause serious health problems, especially in children, the elderly, and those with existing respiratory ailments.  Finally, toxic fumes resulting from large spills are also associated with health problems, including more chronic respiratory problems.  Any sort of spill, fire, or explosion, would also obviously be a hazard.