A ruptured oil tank serving the Panther Valley Intermediate School campus should be repaired in time to heat the school this winter, school officials say.

While the deal has not been finalized, officials say the school district has chosen a contractor to remove and replace the 10,000-gallon underground oil tank that failed this summer.Panther Valley business manager Kenneth Marx said that the district is close to finalizing a deal with YCP Oil Tank Solutions of Dover, York County.While a project as large as the tank replacement would normally be subject to a bidding process, the district only had to solicit quotes for the work because it qualifies as an emergency project under the Pennsylvania Department of Education's standards.YCP's proposal is for $162,000. That includes removing the existing tank, removing contaminated soil, installing a new pad for the tank to sit on, and procuring and installing a new tank.It also includes the option of a temporary tank to provide enough oil to heat the school if the project is not completed in time.Work is expected to begin by the end of October, and wrap up in mid-November.The district could ultimately pay less than the quoted $162,000 if it does not require the temporary tank."It should be all completed by Nov. 15," Marx said. "If that happens, we don't think we'll need a temporary tank."The price could also decrease based on the amount of soil that must be removed because of oil contamination. The extent of the contamination won't be known until the existing tank is excavated.The school already has a temporary tank installed with enough oil to power its water heaters. But that tank is not large enough to heat the school.The district has already spent about $60,000 on the initial cleanup and engineering services related to the tank replacement.