When a major multinational petrochemical client sought assistance in managing a historical release of fuel into groundwater that had migrated beneath several properties, Kleinfelder provided expertise in performing a risk assessment with regards to overlying occupants from potentially toxic vapour.

Assessing Complicated Sites

On a technical level, the project required Kleinfelder to assess a geologically complex setting and complicated series of site receptors in order to conduct a risk assessment thorough enough to sufficiently protect human health. On a management level, the project necessitated independent regulatory sign-off from each agency involved, therefore demanding a high level of QA/QC procedures—as well as a rigorous knowledge, research, and application of local and national legislation.

Modeling Risk Management

To assess the complex site in a thorough and organized manner, Kleinfelder worked with the client to develop a detailed conceptual site model that accounted for all potential receptors and contaminant pathways. Kleinfelder combined the new site understanding provided by this project model with a robust knowledge of local and national regulations, enabling the team to provide the client with a complete risk assessment expertly prepared for each independent agency.

Project Results

By developing risk assessments tailored for each regulatory agency from the same site model, Kleinfelder helped the client meet compliance—ensuring against even further legal risks by providing sole-sourced, scientifically backed data and providing the client with a tool for future investigations.

Project Details

Location:
New South Wales, Australia

Owner:
Multinational Petrochemical Company