The business of sustainability
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In Situ Chemical Oxidation Improving the State of Practice From Various Site Experiences Brendan Brodie, James Baldock, Kevin Morris, Tim Pac, Jaydeep
Parikh, Paulo Santos and Jaydeep Sathaye
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Agenda
2
1. Introduction
2. Market Observations
5. Future 3. Technical
4. Changes
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Introduction
3
State of the Practice ■ Sites are increasingly complex
■ Rapidly changing characterization tools
■ Improved ISCO understanding
■ Overpromised unrealistic expectations ■ Multiple incidences of technology
failures ■ No technology works everywhere
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Market Observations
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1. Combining technologies
2. Increased pressures for project execution
3. Overselling capabilities
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Market Observations
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1. Combining technologies ■ Maintain the technology “sweet spot” ■ Remediation requires changing over time ■ Spatially, temporally to provide increased flexibility
■ Recalcitrance to change ■ Client – budget ■ Regulatory – permitting ■ Contractor/Engineer – approach
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Market Observations
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2. Increased pressures for project execution ■ Cost – do more with less, global affordability
■ Treatability Testing – required, representativeness
■ Pilot Testing – defined objectives, choice of location
■ Sustainability – importance, multiple criteria, social justice
■ Recognition that each Site is different – avoid cookie cutter remediation
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Market Observations
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3. Overselling capabilities ■ Delivery remains the largest challenge for ISCO ■ We know the chemistry works ■ Providing and maintaining contact remains
challenging
■ ISCO isn’t applicable everywhere
■ More than one application is/will be required
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Technical Observations
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1. Visualisation / Conceptual Site Model (CSM)
2. Design
3. Underutilisation of existing data
4. Implementation
5. Post-injection monitoring
6. Skilled personnel
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Technical Observations
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1. Visualisation/Conceptual Models ■ Increased toolbox to characterize Sites holistically ■ Tool box capabilities and interpretation in real time ■ Overreliance, simplification, multiple lines of evidence ■ Heterogeneity is the norm not the exception (variability on all
scales)
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Technical Observations
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1. Visualisation/Conceptual Models (continued) ■ Contaminant phase(s) ■ LNAPL – globs, ganglia, sorbed
■ Matrix diffusion – bleed and rebound
■ Inaccessible contaminants – trapped, immobile, long-term
■ Compound properties – solubility, sorption, stability, detectability
■ Effects of other materials ■ TOC – peat, sanitary, organic acids ■ Reduced metals
NAPL
Water Solid
Air
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Technical Observations
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2. Design A. Oversimplification
B. Amendment and dose
C. Pore volume
D. Flexibility
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Technical Observations
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2. Design (continued) A. Oversimplification
Simplification is required to conceptualize difficult or incompletely understood systems; simplification however results in, Elimination of accuracy Incomplete understanding of source to terminus Overreliance on existing data
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2. Design (continued) B. Amendment and dose – no ISCO silver bullet chemical
Under dosing – failure to account for all demands SOD/TOD Decomposition losses Unintended or unknown reactions, other unknown compounds
Overdosing – more than necessary Cost and time
Improper dosing Wrong amendment – No ISCO agent treats everything (DCA)
8%
85%
8%
Stoichiometry
NOD
Decompostition
Technical Observations
13
Chemical
Oxidation
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Technical Observations
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2. Design (continued) C. Pore volume – injection volume relative to pore volume (PV)
Volume = f (amendment, concentration, time, cost)
Injectate volume vs PV varies widely by program: < 0.1x to > 5x
Volume of amendment (saturation versus surgical): Too much – long duration, high cost, breakout, water
table rise, site disturbance Too little – stripping in advective zones only, variable
performance, rebound
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Technical Observations
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2. Design (continued) D. Flexibility
Incorporate flexibility into design – static designs difficult to change
Restrictive operational criteria – drinking water closure goal, uptime
Differing Site conditions
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Technical Observations
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3. Underutilisation of existing data Simple tests can yield valuable information – water infiltration, grain
size, air permeability
Available information – utility plans / subsurface clearance / as-builts
Observational data – drill logs, historical records, Site knowledge
Soil/cutting examination and logging – discontinuities, breaks, voids
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4. Implementation A. Delivery and Distribution
B. Hydraulics
C. Pressure
Technical Observations
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4. Implementation (continued) A. Delivery and Distribution
Mass focused treatment is the norm
Uneven or incomplete amendment placement
Difficult geologies
Use of improperly designed wells
Technical Observations
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4. Implementation (continued) B. Hydraulics
Heterogeneity is the norm – radial flow does not occur, is the distribution being measured and confirmed?
Presence of oxidant does not mean that no contaminants are present
Injectate properties Density – injectate specific gravity Viscosity – injectate viscosity
Technical Observations
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Technical Observations
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4. Implementation (continued) C. Pressure – Injectate preferentially follows higher conductive zones
“the water doesn't care”
Overpressure fractures – start up pressures, over pressurization
Friction loss and breakout – vertical fracture
Risk and impact of spill increases exponentially with increasing pressure
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5. Post-Injection Monitoring
Verification QA to evaluate performance vs. objectives
Quantification vs. Speculation Distribution – versus plan and versus target mass
Persistence – activity, longevity
Performance – target declines
Presence of oxidant does not mean there are no detectable contaminants
Fact Fiction
Technical Observations
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Technical Observations
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6. Skilled personnel – “been there, done that”
Operational knowledge of project and process
Expectations for chemical behavior and markers for outliers
Response action and tools
Knowledgeable and experienced field teams
Contingency and communication plans in place
Total team approach to execution
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Changes in ISCO Remedies
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1. Recognition of multiple mechanisms of treatment
2. Imposition of impractical closure goals
3. Site Unknowns
Mechanisms
Goals
Unknowns
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Changes in ISCO Remedies
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1. Recognition of multiple mechanisms of treatment
Technology coupling – ISCO/bio, thermal/bio, hi/low temperature thermal
Multi-component amendments – persulfate/permanganate
Effects of natural or added surfactants
Quantification of contributions
Which technology does the “work”?
Quantification?
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Changes in ISCO Remedies
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2. Imposition of impractical closure goals
Typically non-degradation standards
Closure defined as drinking water standards – vs. RIBC’s
Closure defined at specific compliance point(s) – e.g., property boundary
Flux-based remediation – focus on mobile materials, just because mass is there does not mean it has to be treated
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Changes in ISCO Remedies
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3. Project unknowns
Project re-openers
New and emerging contaminants – 1,4-D, PFAS/PFOA, ED’s, next?
Decreased closure goals – TCE, VI issues
What is “clean enough” – impact of risk assessment
Flexibility in Plans – elimination of static approvals
Use of mass-based approaches (not simply groundwater concentrations)
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Future
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1. Expectations
2. Mass balance
3. Team approach
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Future
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1. Setting reasonably attainable expectations
Time, cost and performance
Coupling of characterization and delivery
Recognition of oxidant persistence – proper SOPs
Plan for remediation
Tasks
Expectations
Measurement
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Future
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1. Setting reasonably attainable expectations (continued)
Recognition of alternative remedial approaches
Fixed – vertical, inclined, horizontal wells, trenches
Temporary – direct targeted injection, fracturing
Automation – “continuous” low flow processes
Recirculation – “closed loop” horizontal or vertical
Soil mixing
Slow-release options
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Future
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2. Incorporation of mass balance approach
Pre-remedial conditions - accurate baseline understanding
Recognition (and measurement of) multiple means of treatment
Use the best of each method – technology coupling
Physical +
Chemical +
Biological +
Removal
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Future
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3. Team-vested approach for remediation
Clients – corporate, regional, local, plant
Consultant(s) and engineer(s)
Management
Field team
Contractors
Site owner/operator
Regulators
Active Leadership Training and Competency Emphasizing Positive Safety Risk Management Maintaining Balance
Clients Consultants Owner Regulators CLOSURE
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James Baldock Technical Director ERM [email protected]
Kevin Morris Technical Director ERM [email protected]
Paulo Santos Partner ERM [email protected]
Contact Info
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Tim Pac Technical Director ERM [email protected]
Jaydeep Parikh Partner ERM [email protected]
Jaydeep Sathaye Partner ERM [email protected]
CleanUp 2019 International Contaminated Site Remediation Conference Adelaide, South Australia
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