Process for in-situ biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil
This patent describes an in situ process for biodegrading hydrocarbons by drawing oxygen into an undisturbed hydrocarbon contaminated zone in a fluid permeable soil. It comprises: establishing a borehole extending from the earth's surface through a hydrocarbon contaminated zone having hydrocarbon degrading microbes therein; lining the borehole with a fluid impermeable liner coaxially spaced and sealingly connected to the inside surface of the borehole and extending from the earth's surface to the hydrocarbon-contaminated zone; the liner including a fluid permeable portion extending from the lower end thereof and through at least a portion of the hydrocarbon contaminated zone, fluidly connecting a source of negative pressure to the fluid impermeable line; evacuating gas from the borehole through the fluid permeable portion of the liner at a rate sufficient to draw air from the earth's surface into the hydrocarbon containing zone; and adjusting the flow rate of the evacuated gas so that the amount of hydrocarbon biodegradation therein is within 50% of the maximum hydrocarbon biodegradation rate as detected by the volume of carbon dioxide in the evacuated gas.
- Assignee:
- Chevron Research and Technology Co., San Francisco, CA (USA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5017289; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-333048
- OSTI ID:
- 5143964
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 3 Apr 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
HYDROCARBONS
BIODEGRADATION
OIL SPILLS
LAND POLLUTION CONTROL
SOILS
CONTAMINATION
BOREHOLES
CARBON DIOXIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GASES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CAVITIES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
FLUIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
294002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Petroleum
540250 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)