Once this is done, the soil can be returned to the site. The baking option appears to be the safer method. There are also some experimental methods to treat the contaminated soil with oil eating bacteria. However, most of these methods require exposing the soil to air and oxygen, and as such, are impractical in residential settings. The most popular alternative to oil heat is natural gas.
Natural gas appears to be less expensive than oil as a heating fuel.
There is a popular misconception that oil heat is 'dirty' and gas heat is 'clean'. Natural gas does not require a tank and the combustion by-products are arguably less polluting to the outdoor air. By bringing in natural gas or propane to the house, some of the existing load on a small electrical service can be reduced. That is, a 100 amp electrical service may be all you need in a larger home if you use gas for the heating of the air and water, cooking and the drying of clothes. As a result, it may be possible to save on electrical upgrades by bringing gas to the house.