Project Description:
This project investigates supplementary or additional remediation methods to those most used historically, mainly at gas stations, aiming to increase the extraction percentage of the free phase present in the subsoil. In this case, the study tests how the pressure injection of a specially designed foam or gel helps to increase the extraction rate of the free phase being recovered through MPE.
- North Zone: A foam solution is injected into a central piezometer, surrounded by peripheral piezometers subjected to high vacuum, with the goal of extracting more hydrocarbons from the subsurface.
- South Zone: A higher viscosity gel is used, replicating the extraction methodology from the north zone.
An analysis will be conducted to determine which of the two solutions recovers a greater amount of additional liquid hydrocarbon in order to identify the best remediation strategy.
Project Type:
- R&D&I (Research, Development, and Innovation)
- Pilot tests for the environmental improvement of the subsurface at service stations.
Conceptual Framework:
- Contamination by gasoline, diesel, and free floating phase.
- Presence of light and heavy hydrocarbons, including BTEX, MTBE, and ETBE.
Project Phases:
- Subsurface Characterization Tests:
- Sampling.
- Pumping tests.
- Bail Down tests.
- Multi-phase extraction (MPE) tests.
- Execution of Boreholes for Pilot Tests:
- Installation of access points for the implementation of pilot tests.
- Goal: recover floating hydrocarbons in the subsurface using innovative techniques.
- Foam Test (Mousse 3D) + MPE:
- Free phase extraction with conventional methods (MPE-SKID).
- Injection of Mousse 3D in the most affected area.
- Extraction with MPE at peripheral points to favor foam mobilization.
- Electrical tomography to analyze foam dispersion.
- Gel Test + MPE:
- Free phase extraction with MPE-SKID.
- Injection of Gel into the most affected area.
- Extraction with MPE at peripheral points to favor gel mobilization.
- Final Remediation Project:
- Implementation of the final recovery project based on the results obtained in the pilot tests.
- Removal of floating free phase at the site.
