20 Description of the Treatment Processes Studied for the Treatment of Contaminated Soil from the Oil Freight Train Derailment at Lac-Mégantic, QC André Carange, Guillaume Bédard and François Dubé, LVM, a division of EnGlobe Corp. The Lac-Mégantic derailment occurred when an unattended 74 car freight train carrying Bakken formation crude oil ran away and derailed resulting in the fire and explosion of multiple tank cars. Six million litres of light crude spilled over, under and through Lac-Mégantic. A total of 31 ha were affected by the crude spill leading to an estimation of 558,000 metric tons of impacted soil in need of remediation. In the aftermath of the train derailment, contaminated soils from the disaster areas were excavated and transported to a temporary soil treatment facility pending the selection of the treatment methodology and permitting process. Various remediation methods exist for the treatment of impacted hydrocarbons such as thermal, biological, and physico-chemical methods. However, during the tendering process, LVM mainly focused on two types of method: biological treatment and thermal desorption methods for the treatment of the 560,000 metric tons of soil impacted by the crude oil spill that occur at the city center of Lac-Mégantic, QC. Both methodologies offer pros and cons on different aspects: The thermal desorption method offers faster results, it also requires a smaller footprint than the biological treatment, and generally, the contaminants end points are lower, allowing for soil to be reused at Lac-Mégantic city center, therefore not requiring clean backfill imports. It should be noted that this process is thus more expensive because it also requires a large amount of fuel as well as sophisticated air treatment equipment in order to comply with Quebec Air Emission Regulations. Furthermore, following the Lac-Mégantic disaster this process, even though it is very effective, was considered less sociably acceptable by the population of Lac-Mégantic. As for the biological treatment process, it is well known and very popular because it can easily be used to treat very large volumes of hydrocarbons impacted soil at a smaller cost. This type of process requires a longer treatment time frame and is very limited in terms of contaminants concentrations and higher after-treatment end points, therefore requiring host sites the disposal of treated soils. Fortunately, several large industrial sites are located within the area of Lac-Mégantic and they will eventually need soil for their reclamations. Finally, biological process is a sustainable remedial approach that requires less energy and offers small emission of greenhouse gases. 66 Through the tender process, the biological case study was very complex because it was unknown if the biotreatment of impacted soil by Bakken crude oil of which the lighter fractions were burned was achievable to the very low endpoints selected for the site. After reviewing all the site characterization documents, it was established that biological treatment was feasible, but that it may require a number of host sites for the reuse of treated soil, such as industrial sites that may need soil for their reclamation therefore the need to import clean backfill for the site of origin, Lac-Mégantic city centre. Considering all this, LVM decided to opt for a biological process -by biopiles - for the treatment of the major part of the impacted soil (530,000 metric tons) and for the thermal desorption for the most recalcitrant impacted soil (30,000 metric tons) at an offsite facility in Quebec. This project involves the construction of six bioventing megaplatforms which will allow the treatment of 250,000 metric tons per year. The Mega-Biopiles will be equipped with large blowers that will be connected to a piping system, allowing essential aerobic conditions within the soil in-treatment to the indigenous biomass growth, and therefore the biodegradation of hydrocarbons. To date this remedial project remains one of the greatest challenges of the past decades in regards to sustainable development and social acceptability. Guillaume Bédard Guillaume Bedard has been inspired by the environmental industry for over 20 years. From Alaska to Brazil and Alberta to Europe, he was privileged to support international clients with their many environmental challenges. He has collaborated to the expansion of Biogenie and Quantum Murray in the past and was involved on projects from decommissioning to brownfield redevelopment. Guillaume is now Vice President of Business Development for LVM Engineering. Remediation Technologies Symposium 2014