Shell cleans up gas station site
October 10th, 2008 - Posted in Energy CompaniesBy Joni MacFarlane
Now you see it, now you don’t. The Shell gas station on Highway 3 was reduced to rubble and dust last week after the station was closed.
Quantum Environmental Group was hired by the oil and gas company to take out all Shell’s equipment, tear down the building and clean up the site.
According to Jana Masters, spokesperson for Shell, they are required to return the site to its original condition. This means tearing down all structures, removing all pipes and underground tanks, and checking the condition of the soil and the ground water.
“We take our environmental responsibility seriously,” said Masters. “Whenever we close down a station, we ensure that the site is returned to the condition it was before we built on it.”
Once all structures have been removed from the ground and the soil has been excavated, Quantum will undertake all necessary testing. Due to the site’s proximity to the Crowsnest River, there will be a great deal of water to deal with when they begin excavation.
“They will remove and pump out the water and this water will be run through a treatment program,” said Masters. Once the water has been tested and assured of its quality, it will be discharged back into the river.
The soil will also be tested for contaminants and if there are any environmental impacts found, the material will be trucked away, said Masters.
“We are working with Alberta Environment in order to operate this equipment, and to release the water and treat it,” she said. “We need to accurately check the status of the water and the soil, and are taking our responsibility very seriously.”
The work could last for another week or so, depending on what is found. “The good news is that we are testing as we go. There are monitoring wells on site and so far, no hydrocarbons have been detected on the property.”
All the demolished building material is being taken to the landfill by Three Rivers Rental trucks.
The gas station was closed in September because Shell did not want to renew their lease of the site. The land is owned by Alberta Transportation who purchased it three years ago in anticipation of future plans to expand and widen the highway.
