Krishnan, Bala¹ 
(1) USEPA, Washington, DC

ABSTRACT: USEPA's Oil and Gas Environmental Research at the National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) and National Center for Environmental Research (NCER)

Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the EPA formulates and implements actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability of natural systems to support life. EPA’s research program provides data and support for building a science knowledge base to manage ecological resources, and reduce environmental risks. Oil-and-gas-related research is conducted at EPA’s NRMRL and NCER. NRML’s Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program has developed a phytoremediation process applicable for soils, sediments, and groundwater containing intermediate levels of organic contaminants. This process uses species of grasses, such as alfalfa and fescue, and soil nutrients to meet site’s remedial goals. This process also uses deep-rooted, water-loving trees such as poplar to intercept groundwater plumes and reduce contaminant levels. A portable, compact gas chromatograph was designed and evaluated for on-site analysis of soil, water, and gas samples for organic compounds. Under NCER’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, the Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium is conducting research on phytoremediation, and bioremediation. Studies on phytoremediation have demonstrated that the use of long long-lived perennial plants provides an ecologically sound means of inexpensive, sustained remediation of contaminated soil. Sulfate amendment was demonstrated as a viable bioremediation technology in enhancing microbial sulfate reduction to in hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers. NCER’s research at the Oil Spills Research Center at Lake Charles, LA is directed at wetlands restoration, and the environmental effects of oil spills. A project under this program resulted in discovering a submerged plant that provides habitat, nursery, and food source for economically important flora and fauna.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90026©2004 AAPG Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas, April 18-21, 2004.