Project Title: 

Oil Spill Remediation – Corroded Oil Filter Bowl | Verde Remediation Services

Location:

Coalisland, Co. Tyrone

Date: 

December 2019

Client: 

Householder

Business Sectors: 

Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines):

The insured noticed oil odours in their house. They contacted their plumber to investigate and the oil delivery company to drain the rest of the oil from their tank and put into a temporary tank. The oil leak came from the aluminium filter bowl on the tank which was badly corroded as it was semi submerged in wet mud.

Their insurance company contacted Verde to conduct a Prelimary Site Assessment which included:

• Internal ambient air quality survey using a Photo Ionisation Detector (PID).
• Intrusive investigation and sampling which included the advancement of a number of soil borings and trial pits.
• Installation of a VEU to reduce internal hydrocarbon malodours.

Excavation of an emergency trench with recovery sumps and the installation of an oil water separator.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Remediate the damage the oil spill and reinstate the property.

Damage Caused:

• Significantly elevated VOC (Volatile organic compounds) readings recorded by PID (Photo Ionisation Detection) in a number of rooms within the house.
• Significantly impacted soil encountered adjacent to the oil tank location and at a number of locations around the house, especially atop the foundations at the kitchen and the garage.

Oily perched water encountered against the foundations at the rear house.

Our Role: 

Verde’s Remediation Programme:

1. Emergency Works:

• Disconnection and removal of oil tank and boiler.
• Set up of a temporary heating system.
• Installation of an interception trench, adjacent to the retaining wall at the rear lawn, to allow the recovery of oily water.
• Installation of a vapour extraction system to try to alleviate hydro carbon odours from within the property.
• Installation of monitoring sumps.

2.Enabling Works:

• Site preparation works including the placement of skips, erection of site fencing and safety signage.
• Removal and on-site storage of granite paving slabs.
• Removal and on-site storage of paving brick.
• Removal of oil tank.

3.Source Removal:

• Excavation, removal and disposal of impacted soils in the rear lawn area, between the garage and the retaining wall, and along the western walls of the garage and kitchen.
• Excavation tracking the drainage pipe along the retaining wall.
• Excavation of a 1m wide trench along the eastern walls of the utility and playroom.
• Removal of sewer and storm drains if required to facilitate the excavations.
• Installation of inoculation pipework via blockwork to aid the application of treatment solutions to flush any pathways and to treat soil/fill material beneath the property.
• Installation of release points to rising blockwork at foundation level.
• All structural works conducted according to the advices of a structural engineer.
• All excavated material removed for appropriate disposal and/or treatment at a licensed facility.

4. InSitu Treatment:

• Upgrading and continued use of the vapour extraction system.
• Continued use of the pump and treat system
• Application of specialised bio remedial solutions to the sides and base of the excavations.
• Application of specialised bio remedial solutions to the soils/fill material beneath the footprint of the house.
• Pressurised application of specialised bio remedial solutions to the exposed blockwork.

5.Reinstatement of Property

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Kevin Cleary (kevin.cleary@verde.ie)