Bio-Remediation of an Oil Spill

Bio-remediation Solves Oil Spill From A Split Tank

Situation Analysis

Our British Damage Management Association (BDMA) Technicians were called out to a property in Wales when the oil tank in the garden had become brittle due to the extremely cold weather at the beginning of 2009 and split causing an oil spill, releasing 25 gallons of heating oil into the garden. Richfords Fire & Flood are members of the UK Oil Spill Association and as such have committed to the training and development of our oil spill responder staff. We are pleased to be accredited by the Environment Agency as an 'Oil Spill Responder'.

Objectives

Use bio-remediation to decontaminate the affected soil in the garden.

As an accredited Environment Agency “Spill Responder” Richfords will:

• Accurately map the spread of contaminants

• Prevent the spread of oil to potential receptors

• Effectively decontaminate soil contamination

• Replace and make good the spill site

Considerations

Richfords use a risk based model to identify the likely path of the oil spill and the receptors that the oil may come into contact with e.g. the structure of the property, nearby water courses, the soil. Once this process is complete, we can compile a report identifying what actions are required to effectively deal with the resultant contamination.

Oil contaminated soil requires special disposal in contaminated waste landfill.

Implementation

• A Richfords British Damage Management Association (BDMA) Technician and oil spill responder attended the site within the first few hours of receiving the call.

• A risk assessment and survey were carried out.

• Core samples from a mapped area within the garden were taken and sent for laboratory testing to establish which areas would require the most intensive bio-remediation treatment.

• Arranged for a temporary tank to be supplied and fitted so the customer could remain in the property.

• Removed over 16 tonnes of oil contaminated soil using a mini digger.

• The stone wall the oil tank was sat on needed to be removed.

• Using a trench remediation method the worst contamination was removed then the remaining trench was treated using bio-remediation.

• A Richfords bio-remediation dosing machine was set up to treat the remaining soil. The process of bio-remediation uses naturally occurring micro-organisms, which produce enzymes which break down oil into water and carbon dioxide. Although bio-remediation is a commonly used technique, at Richfords we have made an inventive step in this field. The Richfords bio-remediation dosing machine automatically controls the environmental conditions for the micro-organisms ensuring optimum conditions.

• The oil samples were regularly laboratory tested to check the progress of the bio-remediation and finally to check that the bio-remediation had taken the oil contamination down to less than 1ppm.

Results

The structure of the property remained unaffected, which was a priority, and the contamination was successfully resolved using bio-remediation. The customer said we gave him “excellent service and great communication.”

For more information on oil spills and bio-remediation please click here