© 2015 University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center.

EERC Pilot Project to Remediate Soil

Surrounding Legacy Brine Pits

Oil & Gas Research Council Meeting

Bismarck, North Dakota

Thursday, August 20, 2015

John Harju Jay Almlie

Associate Director Sr. Research Manager

EERC Proposal Directly Addresses Client Needs and Intentions – Onsite Demonstration

HB1358 Requests OGRC Solicitation Requests

Conduct pilot program to determine

best techniques for remediating salt and

any other contamination from the soil

surrounding waste pits reclaimed by

trenching between 1951 and 1984 in

the north central portion of this state.

(site-specific soil chemistry and conditions)

Pilot program to determine best techniques for remediating salt and other contamination from soil surrounding legacy waste pits in north central ND reclaimed by trenching (site-specific soil chemistry and conditions)

NDPC Salt Water Remediation Task Force should be considered

Demonstrated (onsite) for 1 growing season

Consult with DMR and NW Landowners on site selection

Final report will include list of best practices

Final report will include long term management/monitoring plan for DMR

EERC Proposal Philosophy

• Pilot demonstration onsite at an actual legacy spill site

– Improves public perception that the State is addressing landowner concerns in real, pragmatic ways

– Earns goodwill among landowners

– Provides landowners assurance that restoration is possible in a timely manner

– Completes actual restoration of one site

– Provides incontrovertible evidence of success of pragmatic approaches (real soil, real environmental conditions, real economics, real world)

• No new technology development is required

– Existing science is sufficient to restore these sites in a timely manner

– No greenhouse work is required

• Positive separation between affected areas treated with alternate approaches is critical to defensible science

Proposal Summary

• Objectives

– Select, apply, and validate best techniques for remediating contaminated soil surrounding legacy waste pits in north-central ND

– Provide blueprint for additional repeated reclamation activities by state and/or industry entities

• Expected Results

– Soil at demonstration site will be remediated, seeded, and restored to vegetative cover

– Cost estimates for similar remediation efforts will be validated

• Duration

– Sept 2015 – June 2017 (one growing season + reporting/presenting)

• Project Cost

– $500,000 (funded by NDIC)

– Complementary resources from parallel efforts of consortium-directed Bakken Production Optimization Program (Tasks 7&8 – Spill Remediation and Land Reclamation)

Selected Demonstration Site

• Site is on DMR list of affected sites• Land owned by Daryl Anderson family• Denbury Resources operates nearby well

Detailed View of Selected Site

Summary of Methodology

• Complete Preliminary Document Review, Site Assessment, and Risk Assessment

• Formulate Baseline Sampling Plan

• Perform Baseline Site Characterization– Determine baseline conditions of the soil, vegetation, and other site parameters

– EM survey, vegetation sampling of existing cover, soil sampling, irrigation water analyzed

• Customize Soil Mitigation Plan

• Execute Soil Mitigation Plan– Best available conventional technology at Area N (1.5 acres)

– Novel hydraulic delivery remediation amendments at Area SW (0.5 acres)

– Control or common practice at Area S (1.5 acres)

• Monitor Site and Manage Remediation/Reclamation Activities– Irrigation initiated in early May 2016

– Weekly progress inspections

– Vegetation and soil monitoring conducted in June and September 2016

• Compile and Submit Best Available Remediation Methods Report

Project Schedule

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 M13 M14 M15 M16 M17 M18 M19 M20 M21 M22

Task S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J

Project Management

Semi-Annual OGRC Briefings

Quarterly Reports to OGRC

Risk Assessment

Study Site Selection

Preliminary Document Review and Site

Assessment

Baseline Sampling Plan

Baseline Site Characterization

Soil Mitigation Plan

Execution of Soil Mitigation Plan

Site Monitoring and Management

Final Reporting

Final Report Due

Post-Project Briefings to State Entities,

Industry, and Landowners

2015 2016 2017

Due to single-season timeframe demanded by HB1358, the work is highly compressed on the front end, demanding a rapid start, including contracting

Budget Summary

Labor $ 53,231

Travel $ 6,377

Supplies and Other $ 377

Subcontractors $ 387,887

Laboratory Fees & Services $ 6,120

Total Direct Costs $ 453,992

F&A $ 46,008

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $ 500,000

Baseline Sampling Plan $ 30,543

Test Plot Baseline Monitoring $ 68,126

Soil Mitigation Plan $ 8,914

Plot Construction $ 219,182

Plot Monitoring $ 42,267

Final Reporting $ 18,855

TOTAL SUB COSTS $ 387,887

Proposal Strengths

• Relevant Demonstration Site Secured– Landowner Daryl Anderson is a respected and active voice in ag/oil issues

– Denbury Resources and the EERC enjoy a strong, long-term partnership across several projects. Denbury is onboard and will facilitate this project.

• Team– EERC has a proven track record of directly addressing OGRC needs, producing

meaningful results in every funded project

– Sublette Consulting and Habitat Management are nationally-recognized experts in pragmatic, effective remediation, reclamation, and restoration

• Results-Oriented, Scientific Approach– Our proposal directly addresses core concerns enumerated in HB1358,

performing applied remediation work directly on an affected legacy site with meaningful results expected before 2017 Legislature

– 3 simultaneous approaches combine results-oriented action with uncompromised, objective science

• Leveraged Efforts and Funding– Pre-existing, parallel efforts within Bakken Production Optimization Program will

be leveraged with full industry support

Contact Information

Energy & Environmental Research Center

University of North Dakota

15 North 23rd Street, Stop 9018

Grand Forks, ND 58202-9018

www.undeerc.org

John Harju, Associate Director for

Strategic Partnerships

Jay Almlie, Senior Research

Manager

(701) 777-5157 (701) 777-5260

jharju@undeerc.org jalmlie@undeerc.org