ENV-06-161 Use and Calibration of the API Mobility Model to Predict LNAPL Recovery - A Case Study for a Former Midwestern Refinery

Description:

Light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) in the subsurface presents complex technical challenges requiring remediation and continued management over long periods of time. Typically, the remediation goal for LNAPL is to recover the maximum extent reasonably, technically, and economically feasible and consistent with prudent environmental engineering practices. The American Petroleum Institute (API) Distribution and Recovery Model (API, 2001; Charbeneau, 2003) can be used to estimate the distribution of LNAPL in the subsurface, evaluate recoverability, and to propose endpoints for the remediation system. In 2003, LNAPL recovery was predicted using one-layer API modeling methods for a large former Midwestern petroleum refinery (shown on Figure 1). The purpose of this paper is to provide a validation of the model using the last three years of LNAPL recovery data from one recovery well, R-007, and to compare LNAPL predictions from the draft three-layer model (Charbeneau, 2005) to the original onelayer API Model (API, 2001). Ultimately, the validated model results will be used to estimate remediation timeframes and to predict endpoints for LNAPL recovery when active recovery wells may be shut down and converted to skimming wells.