Environmental Forensics | Case Study

REFINERIES

Allocation of Subsurface Contamination between two Refineries in Support of Interim Remedial Measures Arbitration

Two abutting mid-continent refineries had operated for more than 40 years. Approximately 25 years ago, the two companies signed an agreement to share costs for remediation of subsurface groundwater contamination and NAPL contamination. In the early 90s a dispute arose between the two companies regarding the equity of the cost sharing formulas in the agreement, and the companies entered into a major arbitration in an effort to determine a fair allocation of responsibility for in place contamination, an d thus costs, for future remedial efforts. NewFields consultants were retained by one party to conduct a thorough environmental assessment of the current site conditions, reconcile those findings with past historic operations and remedial efforts data, and to work with site engineers to develop a revised allocation scheme for current and future site remediation. The consulting team conducted a thorough chemical and geologic evaluation of the sites, and determined the sources and nature of NAPL and dissolved phase contamination using advanced chemical forensic techniques. Together, this information was used as the basis for a revised cost sharing model for the two refineries. The findings of the study were conveyed to the Arbitration Board in expert report and testimony in support of the arbitration process.

Natural Resource Damage Assessment

Consulting and Technical Support for a Natural Resource Damage Claim at a Refinery

A US refinery retained NewFields scientists as part of a consulting team to address various aspects of a resources damage claim against a refinery alleged to have impacts on an estuarine river system. NewFields scientist provided consulting services ranged from assisting in program design, overseeing specialized analytical chemistry, and interpretation and synthesis of biological, chemical, hydrographic, and refinery operations data. NewFields scientists were involved in more than three years of extensive collaborative investigation in the river system, developed chemical signatures of hydrocarbons and metals being discharged from the refinery over time, evaluating the chemical conditions of near-field, far-field, and control area sediments, conducing bioaccumulation testing in support of sediment triad quality assessment, examining sediment cores for evidence of long-term temporal accumulation and changes in contaminant loadings in the river, and interpreting the various chemical and biological data into meaningful ecological and risk-based indices to assess environmental status and to defensibly address the claim that the refinery effluent has caused environmental harm to the river ecosystem.

Contaminated Sediments

Thea Foss Waterway: Contaminated Sediment Allocation

Commercial property Land along the Thea Foss Waterway in Tacoma WA is slated for redevelopment, requiring extensive remediation of the waterway sediments and abutting land. The redevelopment authority threatened current operators of bulk fuel storage facilities with a substantial portion of the cost for sediment remediation in the waterway. The contaminants driving the site cleanup were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The petroleum storage facility operators formed a joint group, named the Thea Foss Petroleum Group, to study and address the issue of contaminated sediments in the waterway. NewFields scientists were retained by the Thea Foss Petroleum Group to undertake a detailed examination of the nature and sources of PAH in the Thea Foss Waterway. The consulting team designed and executed an extensive field program in the waterway. Surficial and core sediment samples were collected and analyzed using detailed chemical forensic techniques in an effort to map the distribution of PAH contamination and understand the nature of the likely sources of the contaminants to the waterway. In it’s interpretative report, it was determined that the overwhelming nature of PAH in the waterway arose from combustion sources and coal-derived liquids, e.g. coal tar and creosote that arose from historic manufactured gas plant facility that had been sited at the head of the waterway in the early 20th century. Virtually no inputs of PAH from petroleum storage and handling facilities could be detected in the sediments from the river, forming the basis for a rational argument by the Group that their operations were not responsible for PAH in the waterway.

Pipelines

Forensic Investigation At Pipeline Junction Station Following A Gasoline Pipeline Leak And Fire

In July 2001, a rupture occurred during a pressure test at a junction station for an underground product pipeline carrying automotive gasoline through southeastern Pennsylvania. The rupture was accompanied by a fire, sparked from a nearby truck, which lasted about 12 hours. During this time an undetermined volume of gasoline was released, and largely consumed by the fire. Excavation(s) during the subsequent repair and clean-up effort revealed a black, viscous non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), unlike the clear, yellow gasoline that was released. This anomaly warranted the operator to investigate whether the NAPL could be the result of an earlier, undocumented release at the junction station. NewFields scientists achieved this objective through a comparative chemical analysis of NAPLs from the site and reference samples of the fresh gasoline that was passing through the pipeline at the time of the accident.

The black, non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) discovered during the clean-up following the pipeline rupture and fire in this case study was comprised exclusively of automotive gasoline. The gasoline released contained no common gasoline additives, e.g., MTBE was not detected in the NAPL or fresh gasoline from the pipeline. The only differences between the NAPL and the fresh gasoline from the pipeline were attributable to weathering, namely evaporation of the most volatile components and solubilization of the most soluble components. The mass of gasoline lost due to weathering was estimated at approximately 40%. Thus, the black color of the NAPL, as compared to the clear yellow gasoline, provided no basis to conclude the NAPL was a different petroleum product, released at some time in the past. It is presumed that the heat associated with the fire and contact with soil and combustion residue (soot) apparently imparted the black color to the NAPL. The pipeline operator and authorities where satisfied that no prior release(s) of petroleum had occurred at the transfer station.

Manufactured Gas Plant Sites

Identification of Tar Origins in Sediment

Industrial wastes from former manufactured gas plants (MGPs) are frequently blamed for elevated levels of PAHs in neighboring soils and sediments. However, most MGPs were often sited in industrial areas that experienced intense activities from other tar product users and PAH generators. NewFields scientists have worked with numerous utilities to accurately differentiate MGP wastes from tar refinery discharges, pavement operations, coke plants, and many others. As importantly, NewFields scientists have developed and rigorously tested analytical and interpretive tools for discriminating between MGP residuals and urban background. This was particularly important on a project on the East coast where storm sewer discharges contained elevated levels of PAHs from non-point sources. In a separate case, NewFields scientists estimated the period of release by coupling advanced hydrocarbon methods with radiogenic dating in sediment cores.

Oil Spills

During the 1991 Gulf War approximately 9 million barrels of Kuwait crude oil was released into the marine environment resulting in the largest oil spill in the history of mankind. Over 800 km of of Saudi Arabian coastline was contaminated with crude oil. The areas between Safaniya and Abu Ali Island in Saudi Arabia were the most severely impacted where tarmats of up to 12 inches thick formed on some of these beaches. NewFields scientists working for the Presidency of Meteorology & Environment (PME) provided laboratory design, development, training management and forensic chemistry support for a large scale environmental laboratory program. PME filed a claim with the United Nations Claims Commission (UNCC) to recover the costs of the environmental damages to the Saudi Arabian coastline and habitats. At issue was the potential for secondary oiling from oil exploration, production and transportation activities in the Arabian Gulf after the Gulf War to 2003. NewFields scientists were commissioned by PME to evaluate the alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and molecular biomarker results from the shoreline assessment program and regional oil production reservoirs. The findings of this study were presented by NewFields staff to the UNCC in Geneva and were used to determine liability for the shoreline environmental damages.