This study investigated the characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere at the surrounding area of an oil storage and pumping station from March to June, 2001. The influence of operation condition of storage and pumping station as well as meteorological factors on the distribution of VOCs was also investigated. In this study, a sampling network including six sites around the boundary of the oil storage and pumping station and one site at a nearby village was established for the sampling of VOCs near ground level. Air samples were collected by a carbontrap 300 multi-bed stainless steel sampling tube and were desorbed by a thermal desorption unit (TDU). The desorbed VOCs samples were then analyzed by a gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC/FID). In addition, hydrocarbons (both methane and non-methane hydrocarbons) and meteorological condition including wind speed and wind direction were detected automatically in order to correlate with the concentration of VOCs. Results from field measurement indicated that up to twelve VOCs were detected in the atmosphere, which quite consisted with the composition of stored oil including petroleum crude oil, aviation turbine fuel, 95 unleaded gasoline, and naphtha. Major VOCs observed at the surrounding area of the oil storage and pumping station were benzene and toluene, however, in most cases high boil-point organic compounds were also detected. It suggested that the nearby village could not be solely affected by VOCs emitted from oil storage tanks but also from other local sources such as steel plating plants. Furthermore, meteorological condition played an important role on the dispersion of fugitive VOCs at the surrounding area. For instance, the concentration of VOCs at the downwind sites were generally higher than that at the upwind sites while northern and northwestern winds blew in late Spring. Besides, toluene to benzene concentration ratios (T/B) ranged from 1.5 to 2.1 during the southwestern wind period in Summer, which were higher than those (T/B£1.5) during the northern and northwestern wind periods in late Spring. It suggested that the nearby village as a sensitive location could be much more easily affected by local traffics than the oil storage and pumping station during the summer time since T/B ratios were approximately 2.0 in the tail gas exhausted from automobiles. From the viewpoint of health risk assessment, the location with highest potential risk at the surrounding area of the oil storage and pumping station was the floating oil tank zone which required better operation strategies of the oil storage and pumping station for the protection of ambient air quality.