Abstract
Remediation of releases of petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater has been a costly and time-consuming process. Alternative methods of treating impacted soil and groundwater have accelerated the rate of expenditure without a corresponding acceleration in the rate of environmental cleanup. Active treatment of groundwater is required if contamination will reach and impact a receptor. If there is no receptor, more thoughtful planning can lead to lower cost activities.
This paper describes the experiences of our oilfield service firm in three phases from 1988 to the present and focuses on their efforts in remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds in groundwater. The initial phase involved removing underground storage tanks and recognizing the problem. The second phase consisted of installing innovative and traditional remediation systems, then evaluating the remediation systems. The final phase was developing a natural attenuation protocol, implementing the protocol and measuring results. The natural attenuation protocol is defined and the parameters to be measured are described in this section of the paper.
