Optimal Landfarming Strategy for Treating Oil Refinery Sludge

In this project, a comprehensive review of relevant literature and case studies regarding landfarming of oily sludge will be conducted, and the optimal landfarming operation strategies will be proposed. A number of field experiments will be implemented to examine the impacts of different environmental factors on microbial activity. Specifically, the impacts of bulking agents and nutrients on bioremediation efficiency will be investigated through sludge landfarming at various experimental plots, while the method of factorial design will be used to design such experiments. The experimental plots are corresponding to the following treatments of oily sludge + bulking agent of wood chips and oily sludge + bulking agent of wood chips + nitrogen fertilizer (urea) and phosphate. The bioremediation efficiency will be evaluated using percent reduction of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH). The experimental results will then be analyzed statistically to determine the impacts of the environmental factors on oily sludge landfarming at the field scale, and would provide sound basis for selecting and developing correct enhancements of oily sludge bioremediation.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jianbing Li

Student:

Xinyuan Song

Partner:

Husky Oil Operations Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Oil and gas

University:

University of Northern British Columbia