A protocol for assessing the biotreatability of hydrocarbon contaminated exploration and production site soils

Conference · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:146237

Tezak, J; Miller, J A; Lawrence, A W ^[1]

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1. and others

It is estimated that there are over 260,000 natural gas production wells in the continental United States. Production or reserve pits exist which ma require remediation depending on several conditions such as: the manner in which they were initially closed; whether or not they were lined; and the local climate, soil type, and depth to groundwater. As part of the Gas Research Institute (GRI) research program on exploration and production (E&P) site remediation, a treatability Protocol is being developed to facilitate the rapid assessment of the amenability of the contaminated soils to remediation by biological processes. This paper describes the treatability protocol and the results of a series of treatability tests on a spectrum of hydrocarbon contaminated E&P soils collected from various operating locations throughout the United States. The soils are subjected to physical and chemical characterization prior to treatability testing. Potential biotoxic characteristics of the soils are determined by a respirometry screening technique. Presuming that the soils are not toxic to aerobic soil microorganisms, 20 percent by weight aqueous slurries of the soils are prepared and subjected to continuous batch aeration for a six week period. Conditions favorable to microbial growth are maintained in the reactors by monitoring and augmentation is needed of pH, microbial nutrients and oxygen for microbial respiration. The extent of microbial degradation of the contaminant hydrocarbons is monitored by periodic measurement of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), oil and grease, and individual hydrocarbon compounds as determined by gas chromatography. Microbial plate counts are prepared to document the biological viability of the treatment process. The factors influencing the amenability of these soils to bioremediation as determined from the test results are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 146237
• Report Number(s): CONF-950333--; CNN: Grant 5091-253-2215
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AERATION
BIODEGRADATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS