Clean-up at BP PaulsboroClean-up at BP PaulsboroNew Jersey (USA)New Jersey (USA)

Roxane Fisher and Mark FergusonRoxane Fisher and Mark Ferguson

• Background of the siteBackground of the site

• ContaminantsContaminants

• Possible solutionsPossible solutions

• Action takenAction taken

• ConclusionConclusion

Delaware River

Residential area

Mantua Creek

Paulsboro, New

Jersey

LocationLocation

The SiteThe Site

• Main terminal – 130 acresMain terminal – 130 acres

• Battery processing plant and Battery processing plant and ink manufacturing facility – 23 ink manufacturing facility – 23 acresacres

• Chemical plant – 60 acresChemical plant – 60 acres– 17 acre landfill17 acre landfill– Contained gypsumContained gypsum

• Petroleum and chemical Petroleum and chemical storage during WW1storage during WW1

• Oil storage and fuelling Oil storage and fuelling terminal from 1929terminal from 1929

• BP took over operation of the BP took over operation of the site in 1969site in 1969

• From 1989 chemical storage From 1989 chemical storage and distribution phased out and distribution phased out until closure in 1996until closure in 1996

ContaminantsContaminants

• 1981 – Petroleum products discovered in 1981 – Petroleum products discovered in ground waterground water– Light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL)Light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL)– KeroseneKerosene– Ethyl-acetateEthyl-acetate– No. 6 oil (heavy fuel oil)No. 6 oil (heavy fuel oil)

• 1994 – Petroleum vapours detected in 1994 – Petroleum vapours detected in nearby residential basementsnearby residential basements

Possible solutionsPossible solutions• Permeable Reactive BarrierPermeable Reactive Barrier

– Remediating contaminated Remediating contaminated ground waterground water

– Combines passive treatment Combines passive treatment zone with fluid-flow zone with fluid-flow managementmanagement

– Continuous trench with Continuous trench with backfilled treatment materialbackfilled treatment material

– Treatment media may Treatment media may include zero-valent ion, include zero-valent ion, sorbents and microbessorbents and microbes

– Takes a long timeTakes a long time

Possible solutionsPossible solutions• Six-Phase HeatingSix-Phase Heating

– Removes LNAPL and Removes LNAPL and Benzene remediationBenzene remediation

– Polyphase electricity Polyphase electricity resistively heats soil and resistively heats soil and groundwater to boiling groundwater to boiling pointpoint

– Contaminants volativity is Contaminants volativity is increased therefore increased therefore improving the effects of improving the effects of vacuum extractionvacuum extraction

– Steam then acts as carrier Steam then acts as carrier gas to strip contaminantsgas to strip contaminants

– Vapour then treated above Vapour then treated above by conventional meansby conventional means

– Very expensive over a Very expensive over a large arealarge area

Action TakenAction Taken

• Groundwater treatmentGroundwater treatment– 1 acre facility1 acre facility– 167 groundwater monitoring wells167 groundwater monitoring wells

• Air studies within nearby residenciesAir studies within nearby residencies– no health riskno health risk

• Air sparging system for soils below the water tableAir sparging system for soils below the water table

• Soil vapour extraction system (42 extraction wells)Soil vapour extraction system (42 extraction wells)

• Excavation on four separate areas of siteExcavation on four separate areas of site– Recycled off siteRecycled off site

• Demolition and removal of 79 tanks and 8000m of Demolition and removal of 79 tanks and 8000m of pipingpiping

Groundwater treatmentGroundwater treatment

• Treatment facilities Treatment facilities set up 1991set up 1991

• 6 active recovery 6 active recovery wellswells

• More than 3.8 million More than 3.8 million mm33 of water treated of water treated

• 2200 m2200 m3 3 of of contaminant removedcontaminant removed

• Groundwater Groundwater monitoring on and off monitoring on and off sitesite

Soil Vapour Extraction (SVE)Soil Vapour Extraction (SVE)• SVE removes chemicals in SVE removes chemicals in

the form of vapours from the the form of vapours from the soil above the water table soil above the water table

• Used to remediate Used to remediate unsaturated zone soilunsaturated zone soil

• Extraction wells drilled into Extraction wells drilled into the soilthe soil

• Vacuum induced to increase Vacuum induced to increase air flow and remove volatile air flow and remove volatile and semi-volatile organic and semi-volatile organic compounds from the soilcompounds from the soil– Removes 113 mRemoves 113 m33 per min per min

Air SpargingAir Sparging• Air or oxygen Air or oxygen

injected through a injected through a contaminated contaminated aquiferaquifer

• Moves in channels Moves in channels through soil column through soil column removing organic removing organic contaminants by contaminants by volatilizationvolatilization

• Injected air flushes Injected air flushes contaminants into contaminants into unsaturated zoneunsaturated zone

• Oxygen can also Oxygen can also enhance enhance biodegradation of biodegradation of contaminants below contaminants below and above the and above the water tablewater table

ConclusionConclusion

• Soil vapour extraction successfulSoil vapour extraction successful– reached practical limit of remediationreached practical limit of remediation

• LNAPL contained within terminal areaLNAPL contained within terminal area– not measured in off-site groundwater for 2 yearsnot measured in off-site groundwater for 2 years

• On-site sampling shows a number of chemicals On-site sampling shows a number of chemicals above groundwater quality criteriaabove groundwater quality criteria

• 4300m4300m3 3 “Hot spot” source contamination “Hot spot” source contamination excavatedexcavated

• Solar field built on landfill siteSolar field built on landfill site– Produces 25% electricity required for remediation Produces 25% electricity required for remediation

processesprocesses

Thank you for listeningThank you for listening

Any questions?Any questions?

Roxane Fisher and Mark FergusonRoxane Fisher and Mark Ferguson