HMPG Emergency Fuel Storage Retrofit Power Plant

Lou-Con, Inc – Carrolton Plant
New Orleans, LA

SEMS was subcontracted by Lou-Con, Inc. to perform environmental and demolition services for their contract with the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans to install and retrofit a new emergency fuel storage system at the Carrolton Plant.  SEMS’ portion of work included removal of the existing 15,000 gallon underground day tank, removal of two abandoned USTs, cleaning, demolition, and removal of the 2.3M gallon aboveground fuel storage tank, removal of approximately 200 linear feet of underground piping, and removal of more than 2,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil.  SEMS also provided environmental compliance and consulting services to Lou-Con, Inc. in regard to water discharge permits, sample collection, and non-hazardous waste management.

The first phase of work included removal of the 15,000 gallon underground day tank and two abandoned USTs.  The emergency fuel storage system was temporarily taken offline, and lines were routed to a temporary aboveground day tank staged nearby.  The emergency fuel system was put back online, and SEMS performed cleaning and removal of the underground day tank and two abandoned USTs.  After the tanks were excavated, it was discovered that the tanks and associated piping were encased in approximately 4-6” of concrete.  SEMS utilized a 20,000 lb. hammer attached to an excavator to remove the concrete encasement and free the tanks.  The tanks were cleaned, vapor-freed, and cut in pieces using oxygen-acetylene torches.  Scrap steel was loaded into dump trailers and hauled to EMR for recycling.

The second phase of work included cleaning, demolition, and removal of the existing 2.3M gallon aboveground storage tank.  This tank was replaced with two 500,000 gallon tanks.  Cleaning of the existing tank was performed after the first replacement tank was built, put online, and filled with fuel.  The fuel in the existing tank was removed by the owner.  SEMS flushed the product lines and removed the remaining fuel, sludge, and water from the tank.  The floor and walls of the inside of the tank were washed with surfactant and water, and tank surfaces were squeegeed clean.  A total of 110 CY of fluids/sludge were removed from the tank.  After cleaning was performed, the tank was demolished.  The roof of the tank was cut free around the perimeter using a manlift and torches.  SEMS utilized an excavator equipped with a shear attachment to remove the walls of the tank and drop the roof.  The steel was processed using the shear and loaded into high-side trailers for transportation to EMR for recycling.  Approximately 200 gross tons of steel were recycled.  After removal of the floor plate of the tank, it was discovered that that the soil below was contaminated with bunker C fuel oil.

The third and final phase of work included removal contaminated soil beneath the footprint of the former tank.  A total of 808 tons of contaminated soil were removed from beneath the footprint of the tank.  Soil was scraped and stockpiled using a long reach excavator.  Soil was loaded from the stockpile into dump trucks and transported to River Birch landfill for disposal.  Stormwater was managed by creating sumps in the excavation pit and pumping water to a nearby site oil-water separator.  After soil remediation was complete, the equipment was decontaminated, and personnel and equipment were demobilized from the work site.