Tools and Equipment Necessary for Successful Bedrock Remediation

Boyle, Ray

Tools and Equipment Necessary for Successful Bedrock Remediation

Tuesday, October 3, 2017: 2:55 p.m.

Ray Boyle , AST Environmental, Midway, KY

Greg Bauer , Colog Geophysics, Lakewood, CO

In the last 3 years, the RPI Group has characterized and conducted in-situ remediation at 6 bedrock sites. The synergy of proper characterization using some combination of the tools mentioned below, and effective remediation using either BOS 100® or BOS 200® (depending on the type of contaminant) has resulted in achieving site-specific clean-up standards for one site and full site closure for five sites. All of the sites utilized tactfully placed 6-inch diameter boreholes. Borehole geophysics were applied using carefully chosen tools; including optical or acoustical imaging, fluid temperature, fluid conductivity, and caliper logs to identify zones of transmissivity and potential contaminant migration. A custom designed straddle packer with an 18-inch sample interval was used to acquire discrete samples leading to the knowledge of the vertical distribution of the contaminant mass. Borehole fluid chemistry was monitored until chemical stability was achieved prior to sample collection. It is with knowledge of the vertical chemistry changes that a properly designed injection plan could be devised to place the right amount of treatment at depths of known contaminant mass and concentration. Under dosing and overdosing of the treatment was thus greatly reduced.

Treatment injections were performed using another unique short-interval straddle packer. This allowed for the surgical placement of the proper volume and density of the treatment slurry to match the contaminant concentration at a given depth. Injections were performed using a highly versatile injection unit capable of injection rates between 8 and 300 gpm and injection pressures of up to 2,000 psi. The injection rates and pressures were tailored to the formation lithology to achieve maximum distribution and delivery of the treatment.

The five sites that were closed achieved non-detect levels of the contaminants of concern. The equipment referenced above will be presented and described in detail.

Ray Boyle, AST Environmental, Midway, KY

Ray Boyle's career has included extensive research, development, and practical applications of inflatable packers in hydrofracturing, discrete sampling, and aquifer permeability analysis. Most recently, Mr. Boyle has directed his energies to the design and implementation of remediation equipment for bedrock and overburden applications. The remediation equipment he has designed is unique to the remediation industry and the application results have been outstanding.

Greg Bauer, Colog Geophysics, Lakewood, CO

Greg Bauer is one of the principles of Colog Geophysics in Lakewood, CO. He has been involved in borehole geophysics for over 20 years. His company has performed geophysics throughout the United States, in South America, Madagascar, Canada, and Greenland. Mr. Bauer's most significant contribution to borehole geophysics was his participation in the development of hydrophysics which allows precise definition of borehole fluid productivity and flow direction.