Swan Hills Judy Creek Region – Flare Pit Remediation, Land Treatment, and Pipeline Abandonment

Alta Tech implemented a staged and fully integrated remediation program combining excavation, land treatment, groundwater management, and infrastructure abandonment.

• Refinement of the conceptual site model (CSM) and confirmation of deep soil and groundwater impacts
• Evaluation and selection of remedial approach, including large-scale excavation, in situ treatment at excavation base, and off-site land treatment
• Design and construction of a land treatment area (LTA) on low-permeability native clay, including berms, stormwater controls, and liner considerations in accordance with the Alberta Code of Practice for Land Treatment and Directive 055
• Abandonment and removal of subsurface pipelines, including purging, daylighting, isolation, cutting and capping, and selective removal to reduce future liability and eliminate excavation constraints
• Large-scale excavation of impacted soils (exceeding 20,000 m³), with excavation depths extending to just below the water table
• Collection and management of contaminated groundwater and free product, with disposal at approved facilities
• Application of chemical oxidation to treat groundwater, saturated soils, and residual hydrocarbons within excavation areas
• Placement of impacted soil within the LTA in controlled lifts to promote aeration and biodegradation
• Field screening and confirmatory laboratory sampling to track treatment progress and verify compliance with Alberta Tier 1 criteria
• Return of treated soil to the source site for reuse as backfill once regulatory criteria were achieved

The integrated approach reduced contaminant mass, addressed groundwater impacts, and removed infrastructure constraints. The site is now positioned for final remediation, monitoring, and future reclamation.