fuel oil clean up of a basement

[zhang]

Any suggestions on how to 'clean' a fuel oil leak within a basement of a large (and expensive) office building. There is a smell of oil within the offices at basement level & above; oil has soaked into the fixtures and fittings of the building. The fuel oil has migrated along a subfloor drainage system throughout the property, and to make it interesting, the office cannot stop working and there are space, noise and access restrictions.

Any suggestions on how to control/ mask the odour would also be appreciated.

 

[Dameon]

Unfortunately, this problem is not easily dealt with. I would recommend hiring a remedial engineering firm to perform a full environmental site assessment to delineate the extent of the oil plume.

With all the underground structures in the area it seems that excavation doesn't look like an option, but there may be a source area that can be easily removed, and if so, it should be the first thing you do at the site. The assessment should identify where the source area is, and in what direction the oil is migrating. I'm not sure what state your from, but groundwater impact may also be a concern.

Next, you may have to look at some innovative methods clean up such as an air-sparge system, bio-remediation, chemical oxidation, or nutrient injection to accelerate the natural attenuation process.

Either way you go, it's not going to be a quick fix. So if you haven't already done so, you should hire a remedial engineer to plan out the activities, but definitely start with a site assessment

 

[vintage70]

Have you stopped the leak? Was it in the basement or as Dameon discusses has the oil migrated to the soil? If so then you must eliminate the source as he suggests. If your only problem is odor from oil spilled in a basement. There are strong industrial cleaners and you should immediately begin clean up and venting the basement. A good environmental clean up contractor would know how to size it up.

I would be happy to make some suggestions, give me some more details.

 

[Sean2]

I understand that the oil spill occurred in the basement of an existing building. I would only highlight what is implied in the advice offered by Dameon (above). Can you really be certain that the spillage has been confined within the basement? If there is any possibility of escape, this must be investigated. (This may require monitoring over a very long period, depending on the permeability/transmissivity of the soil.)

Have you spoken to the suppliers/producers of the fuel oil to ask THEIR advice on how to clean it up within and outside the building?

 

[grafter]

Have you notified the relevant regulatory authority? They may help with selection/approval of an appropriate remedial technology. In agreement with the above you should seek professional advice - an assessment of the extent of the soil/groundwater contamination should be made using appropriate SI/risk assessment techniques. The owner may have serious criminal/civil liabilities on his hands.

It is doubtful that soils can be excavated hence bio-remediation is an unlikely option. Air-sparging/soil vapour extraction are most likely. If groundwater is close you may have LNAPL/DNAPL to contend with which may require some form of pump and treat system. Get a chemical analysis of the fuel oil showing full carbon banding. An indication of the spillage volume will also be of benefit and enable one to size up the true nature of the problem.

Due to the odour problems I anticipate that that the building does not have a ventilation system? This would help odour removal. There is also the possibility of a health risk to the workers from hydrocarbon vapours and skin contact with fixtures etc. - these are carcinogens and the employer seriously needs to have this risk assessed. You may want to think about liquid extraction from the underground drainage system and more info on its arrangement would help. Come to think of it, if you have a granular soil you could install fin drains/well points to attempt liquid extraction.

You have a serious problem on your hands.

Regards,

Brendan.

 

[phgwheels]

Hi my name is Sara Garner I'm 13 yrs and in the 8th grade @ Mesa Union school in Somis, California. I need help with a science project! In the past all my projects have been using micro-biology. This year I would like to use microbes to clean up oil and gas in soil and groundwater. I just don't know where to start??? any suggestions?? Thank you very much. I'm using my Dad's email< phgpaul@netscape.net >

 

[Muggle]

Just a note here - but we use catalytic enzyme injection in the ground to bio-oxidize spent diesel and gasoline to stop the need for excavation (like that required when removing old leaking in-ground fuel tanks). Enzymes are approved by EPA as soil and water oil dispergents, and they speed bio-oxidation of the hydro-carbons.

The action of the enzyme breaks the hydrogen-carbon bonds, which sis the cause of the aromatics (odor) - and can be applied to any surface, such as concrete, stone, metal, etc. without damage or discoloration. We even use the same formulation to remove hog manure odors from hands, clothes, etc. and that is one of the worst in the world!

For more info on the enzymes and how to apply - contact Dick Kersey at Orenda Technologies (800-322-1648) - they ahve used them to remove spent fuel on runways, airports, etc.

Dave Orlebeke/Aquatic Technologies

 

[groundwork]

In following along with the comments above [I'm new at this...] keep the following in mind: Contacting a regulatory agency will be helpful. Make sure you've stopped the source first or they're likely to fine you, do there own cleanup and get you for treble damages. Bio-Solve is a good &quot;e-freindly&quot; solvent great at cleaning petroleum contamination from all sorts of surfaces. Pressure washing and rinseate capture and disposal works. You can use a beader to scarify the accessible open surfaces and remove the more saturated upper portion of the concrete. Ventilation is very important, if you have the luxury. Heating the surfaces may help to drive off a fraction of the petroleum. Steam generators are wild but quite effective; but they make a mess. Surfactants? Hydrogen peroxide? A test case or three can provide all sorts of information. Then, after you beat yourself up for a while, I'm sure there's a number of hard core sealants out there that'll lock down whatever you couldn't remove. Expandable foam for those &quot;tough to reach nooks and crannies&quot; might be a final step.