Delineation, Remediation and Risk Management of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Impacts on Soil and Groundwater

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Assess subsurface conditions that influence petroleum hydrocarbon behaviour, including sorption, desorption, fate and transport processes
• Develop conceptual site models using geological, hydrogeological and contaminant characterization data
• Plan and apply soil and groundwater sampling approaches to delineate petroleum hydrocarbon impacts in support of regulatory requirements
• Evaluate remediation options for petroleum hydrocarbon-impacted soil and groundwater, including physical, chemical, thermal and biological methods
• Apply risk assessment and risk management measures as alternatives or complements to cleanup

Description

Petroleum hydrocarbon impacts in soil and groundwater can create complex technical and regulatory challenges. To make sound decisions, you need to understand how contaminants behave in the subsurface, how site conditions influence their movement and degradation, and how investigation data can be used to support delineation, remediation and risk management.

Effective remediation starts with a clear understanding of the site. This includes evaluating geology, hydrogeology, contaminant properties, environmental setting, sampling results and regulatory requirements. Without a well-developed conceptual site model and reliable delineation, remediation strategies can become costly, inefficient or difficult to justify.

This course provides practical, science-based guidance for investigating and managing petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in soil and groundwater. You will review field investigation methods, data interpretation and validation considerations, remediation technologies, risk assessment principles and risk management measures, with a case example to connect course concepts to real-world contaminated site practice.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for:

• Environmental engineers, geoscientists and environmental professionals
• Engineering technologists and technicians involved in soil and groundwater sampling
• Consultants working on contaminated sites, brownfields, remediation or risk assessment projects
• Public sector professionals responsible for environmental assessment, site management or regulatory review
• Practitioners seeking practical guidance on petroleum hydrocarbon investigation, remediation and risk management

Day I: Site Assessment and Delineation

Welcome, Introduction, Learning Outcomes and the Assessment Method

Geoenvironmental Engineering

• Background information
• Clay mineralogy-structural components
• Chemicals of concern in the subsurface
• Sorption and attenuation of contaminants

Petroleum Hydrocarbon Chemistry Basics

• Typical composition of crude oil, gasoline and fuels

• Fractions, BTEX, and oxygenated additives
• Physical-chemical properties of PHC components

An Overview of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids

• Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPLs)

• Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNALPs)

Transformation of free product to dissolved phase

An Overview of PHC Fate and Transport in Soil and Groundwater

• Principles of contaminant transport

• Contaminants effect on hydraulic conductivity

Soil Sampling Plans for Regulatory Delineation

• Sampling strategy
• Horizontal delineation
• Vertical delineation
• Soil sampling methods

Groundwater Sampling Plans for Regulatory Delineation

• Hydrogeological Information
• Hydrogeological Characterization
• Horizontal Delineation of the Plume
• Vertical Delineation of the Plume

Overview of Human Health Risk Assessment for PHCs

• Hazard identification
• Exposure Assessment
• Toxicity Assessment
• Risk Characterization

Adjournment

Day II: Remediation Technologies

Big Picture Analysis; Cleanup, Risk-Based Remediation or Risk Management

In-Situ and Ex-Situ PHC Impacted Soil Remediation Methods

Physico-Chemical Methods

• Phase Separation
• Soil Washing
• Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE)
• Air sparging
• Thermal Desorption
• Chemical Oxidation
• Pump and Treat Scheme

Biological Methods

• Biosparging
• Bioslurping
• Bioventing
• Electrokinetic Bioremediation

Risk Management Measures (RMMs)

Soil Caps and Covers

Passive and Active Ventilation

Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) for Groundwater Risk Management

Natural Attenuation

Case Example