Protecting Value at the Pump

For petroleum distributors, their real estate is their greatest asset. However, when petroleum contamination impacts their property, clean up costs and lack of revenues during remediation can have serious financial consequences. In addition, there is a need to react with speed and diligence or the ramifications can negatively impact the community at large.

  

A full-service mix
Over the last decade, GeoInsight has supported Peterborough Oil Company, Inc. (Peterborough Oil) at 23 of its petroleum distribution facilities throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. GeoInsight has supported Peterborough Oil during due diligence for acquisition, divestitures, and refinancing. At times, when contamination was newly found, GeoInsight conducted a comprehensive site investigation to evaluate the best course for clean-up. Other times, after initial evaluation by others, GeoInsight assumed the operation and maintenance of remediation systems to ensure reliability of the system and the preparation of required reports to maintain compliance. Continually focused on the goal of site closure and no further action, GeoInsight has evaluated and has utilized regulatory-based options such as risk assessments and activity and use limitations/restrictions as well as innovative technology to achieve Peterborough Oil's ongoing objectives.

Pouring on the innovation.
Cleaning up the mess is only half the battle. The other half is dealing with and managing the related costs of remediation. For Peterborough Oil, GeoInsight works hand-in-hand with local and state environmental regulators to negotiate mutually beneficial ways to speed site clean-up and reduce the cost burden. In particular, GeoInsight is adept at securing state reimbursement funds to cover some of the environmental remediation expenses. In addition, GeoInsight works with regulators to determine if innovative technologies can be used to speed the recovery process. For example, at two locations GeoInsight designed and installed a novel remedial system with in situ technology to supersaturate groundwater with oxygen, augmented with specialized bacteria, to enhance and accelerate the natural degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. In other cases, with the support of state regulators, fully reimbursable hydrogen peroxide and ozone pilot tests were performed to evaluate their effectiveness as methods of reducing source area impacts.

Good to the last drop.
While it takes time to fully remediate petroleum impacts, GeoInsight has helped Peterborough close several remediation projects and bring these properties back into productive environmentally sound operations. Moreover, GeoInsight represents clients like Peterborough Oil at town meetings and other proceedings to assure the local community that the situation is being remedied safely.

Fueling the future.
"We have faith in GeoInsight's expertise. They give us the right advice to get our property fixed, make regulators comfortable with our plans for remedying each situation, and allow us to find some sources of reimbursement so we can better afford to act environmentally responsible."
- Tim Petersen, Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Peterborough Oil Company, Inc.