LNAPL Management Program at Revitalized Refinery

Client Challenge

This complex refining facility has a long history of operation prior to its acquisition and subsequent improvement by an independent US oil refining company. The refinery owner-operator has continuously implemented a prioritized interim remedial measures (IRM) recovery plan to address 11 plumes of light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL) existing on site. Each plume has measurable LNAPL thickness ranging from a sheen to up to five feet in the monitoring well network.

GES Solution

GES supports the company with an environmental operation, maintenance, and monitoring (OM&M) program aimed at improving the long-term LNAPL system functionality and recovery.

GES inspected the system, not just for operability but also for improved efficiency and effectiveness. The subsequent evaluation and findings resulted in the design and installation of a LNAPL recovery systems, including pumps, associated tanks, and the necessary equipment to safely operate the systems. One of the optimized systems began recovering LNAPL at a rate of 115 gallons per day (gpd), recovering over 15,000 gallons in its first five months of operation. With minimal expense, GES updated numerous components of the dated equipment to improve operations and maximize recovery.

Client Value

The economic and sustainability benefits are amplified by the refinery’s ability to refine and sell recovered product, adding to the motivation to accelerate remediation results. Operational improvements also allowed a reduction of on-site manual OM&M, further reducing ongoing costs. Within five months of optimized operation, the value of the recovered LNAPL product surpassed the cost of the upgrades. Continued improvements in the recovery systems' performance are projected to yield an overall positive cash flow for the refinery’s OM&M project.