spill response, site assessment and remediation of a significant gasoline release to land, resolute...

RPIC Montreal 2016

Rob McCullough, Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Nathanial Hutchinson, Anil Gupta Government of Nunavut, Petroleum Products Division

January, 2016

Spill Response, Site Assessment and Remediation of a Significant Gasoline Release to Land, Resolute Bay, Nunavut Challenges and Successes in the approach to remediation in a Remote Community in the Canadian Arctic

Agenda

1 Background/Initial Assessment, 2011

2 Site Assessment 2012

3 Site Remediation 2012 - Present

4 Conclusions – Challenges, Successes and Lessons Learned

Background

•  Location of release •  October, 2011 •  Est 87,000 L of gasoline •  Valve failure – day tank

overfill

Areal View of Former and Current Tank Farm in Resolute, NU

1

Site Conditions - Initial Challenges

•  Stantec on-site November 2011 to assess the release

•  2 hours of daylight

•  Sub zero temperatures and multi-day blizzards

•  Heavy snow

•  Most contractors had returned to the south for the winter

Location of Horizontal Tanks

Horizontal AST Surface Evaluation

•  Fuel ran down the side of the tank and onto gravel

•  No definitive evidence of fuel on the frozen ground

•  Uncertainty as to whether a fuel spill occurred

•  Police investigation ongoing

Snow in Catchment Basin

Snow in Catchment Basin was in excess of 4 m deep and made hand assessment difficult with no heavy

equipment available, limited visibility of hydrocarbons

Cold temperatures mitigated vapor detection

Snow was 2 to 3 m deep Hand excavation

Assessment Work in 2012 2

Rhodamine Dye Application

Applied 300 L of dye to the surface/subsurface

Test Pits in Catchment Basin

Test pits

Test pits excavated in catchment basin to assess the location of the fuel in the ice and snow

•  Assessment of ice below the snow for the presence of gasoline

•  Fingerprinting of fuel from samples

Test Pits in Catchment Basin (2)

Clean Ice Ice with Fuel

Ice with Fuel in Catchment Basin

Gasoline

Up to 30 % gasoline by volume in melted sample

Melted Ice/Snow

Water

Up to 30 % gasoline by volume in melted sample

Wildlife Hazards Bear Encounters

Up to 30 % gasoline by volume in melted sample

Wildlife Hazards Bear Encounters

Up to 30 % gasoline by volume in melted sample

Wildlife Hazards Bear Encounters

Test pits excavated across tank farm area and down gradient locations

Third Phase of Assessment, July 2012

Test pits

Test pits excavated across sea lift staging area down gradient of site

Very difficult to differentiate contaminants in soil

Third Phase of Assessment, July 2012

Staging area

Site Remediation 3

Silt Fence at High Water Mark

Ocean Boom in Resolute Bay

HDPE 60 mil welded liner

Cut Off Trench with HDPE Liner

Cut

-off

Tren

ch

Perforated Drain Pipe in Trench

Collection of water and phase separated product

Trenches Dug in Old Tank Farm

Approximately 5000 m3 of impacted soil placed in on-site constructed cell

On-Site Containment Cell

60 mil HDPE liner welded in the field

On-Site Containment Cell (2)

•  Residual dye below tanks

•  Permafrost bowl under tanks

Remedial Excavation at ASTs

Excavated to permafrost across impacted zone

Original AST location

Main Excavation at Tank Farm

Main Excavation at Tank Farm (2)

Berm from original tank farm lined and

keyed to permafrost

Exposed shale Bedrock

Excavation on Road

Backfilling of Road Excavation

Backfilling of Tank Farm Excavation

Reinstatement of ASTs

Generator, frost-biter, and fuel for equipment

Remediation Support Equipment

GAC Water Treatment System

Effluent from Water Treatment

Lessons Learned 4 •  Sometimes very difficult to assess a release in Arctic

conditions even when it should be obvious

•  Many Hazards to be aware of: cold temperatures, communications, wildlife, safety

•  Equipment available in the south is not necessarily available in remote Arctic location, need to improvise

•  Time lag on results and thus decisions

•  Very expensive in all aspects

Tea + -50oC = Iced Tea

Conclusions 4

Acknowledgements

•  Nathanial Hutchinson, Anil Gupta, Government of Nunavut, Petroleum Products Division

•  Kristi Lowe, Director of Environmental Protection, Department of the Environment Government of Nunavut

•  Patricio Fuentes, Regional Project Manager, Community and Government Services, Baffin Region, Government of Nunavut

•  Patrick Kramers, Curtis Didham, Environmental Enforcement Directorate, Enforcement Branch, Environment Canada

Questions?

Robert McCullough, B.E.S., CET., CESA., EP Principal Stantec Dartmouth (902) 468-7777 Robert.mcculough@stantec.com