A disclosed subsea sediment separation and filtration system includes first and second separation devices, a spreader apparatus, and a storage device. The first separation device receives a water/sediment/oil mixture and from a subsea surface and separates the mixture into a first component containing cleaned sediment and a second component containing a water/oil mixture. The spreader apparatus disperses the cleaned sediment of the first component into a subsea environment of the spreader apparatus. The second separation device receives the second component from the first separation device and separates the second component into a cleaned water component and an oil component. The second separation device disperses the cleaned water component into a subsea environment of the second separation device and provides the oil component to the storage device. The first separation device may include a plurality of hydrocyclone devices, and the second separation device may include a high pressure hydrocyclone device.

Provided herein are compositions and methods that can remove, metabolize, or degrade a hydrocarbon in an area that is contaminated by hydrocarbons. Methods for bioremediation of an area such as an area of land, a body of water, or a shoreline that are contaminated by a hydrocarbon, such as from a crude oil spill are also described. The compositions and methods described herein can be used on natural flora and fauna as well as manmade materials that are contaminated by a hydrocarbon.

Provided herein are compositions and methods that can remove, metabolize, or degrade a hydrocarbon in an area that is contaminated by hydrocarbons. Methods for bioremediation of an area such as an area of land, a body of water, or a shoreline that are contaminated by a hydrocarbon, such as from a crude oil spill are also described. The compositions and methods described herein can be used on natural flora and fauna as well as manmade materials that are contaminated by a hydrocarbon.

An apparatus and method for endwise connecting subterranean barrier members is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least two barrier members with each barrier member extending between top and bottom edges. Further, each barrier member has a side first edge having a flange defining a first connector and an opposed second side edge having a channel defining a second connector. The channel is sized and shaped to receive the flange of an adjacent barrier member in slidable interconnection therein. The apparatus further include a first side panel shaped to lie against a first side of the barrier members, a second side panel shaped to lie against a second side of the barrier members and a bridging plate located between the first and second panel members so as to bridge a gap therebetween, wherein the gap has a width corresponding to a width of the first and second barrier members. The associated method is directed toward creating the apparatus.

An apparatus and method for endwise connecting subterranean barrier members is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least two barrier members with each barrier member extending between top and bottom edges. Further, each barrier member has a side first edge having a flange defining a first connector and an opposed second side edge having a channel defining a second connector. The channel is sized and shaped to receive the flange of an adjacent barrier member in slidable interconnection therein. The apparatus further include a first side panel shaped to lie against a first side of the barrier members, a second side panel shaped to lie against a second side of the barrier members and a bridging plate located between the first and second panel members so as to bridge a gap therebetween, wherein the gap has a width corresponding to a width of the first and second barrier members. The associated method is directed toward creating the apparatus.

Formulations and methods for destroying dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) using in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) are provided. In particular, the invention provides slow release formulations comprising oxidants such as percarbonate and persulfate that efficiently destroy DNAPLs e.g. at sites requiring clean-up due to the presence of toxic DNAPL contaminants.

Methods for increasing hydrophobicity of native water-bearing zones or aquifers comprising the step of permanently embedding non-degradable, solid colloidal materials formed to have a particulate size of less than 10 microns. Exemplary materials include activated carbon, zeolites and hydrophobically treated clays. The particulate colloidal materials are coated with an agent to facilitate their distribution, including anionic polymers, chelating agents or combinations thereof. The materials are applied preferably by low pressure injection and are particularly effective at containing the migration of hydrocarbon contaminants, typically present as a plume, for at least several decades.

A process for recovering oil is provided. The process entails recovering an oil-water mixture from an oil-bearing formation. Next, the process entails separating oil from the oil-water mixture and producing produced water having hardness and other scale-forming compounds, suspended solids, free oil and emulsified oil. A pre-treatment process is undertaken to remove hardness and other scale-forming compounds. This entails precipitating hardness and other scale-forming compounds. After the precipitation of hardness and other scale-forming compounds, the produced water is directed to a membrane separation unit for filtering the produced water and producing a retentate having suspended solids, hardness and other scale-forming compounds, free oil and emulsified oil. The membrane separation unit also produces a permeate stream substantially free of hardness and other scale-forming compounds, suspended solids, free oil and emulsified oil. Thereafter, the permeate stream is chemically treated to enhance the recovery of oil in the oil-bearing formation. After treating the permeate stream from the membrane separation unit, the treated permeate is injected into the oil-bearing formation.

A subsurface soil purification method including: warming an activator liquid, for stimulating decomposer microorganisms that decompose a contaminant in subsurface soil, to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, and feeding the activator liquid into the subsurface soil by injecting the activator liquid into an in-ground injection well; warming an activator liquid, for stimulating decomposer microorganisms that decompose a contaminant in subsurface soil, the decomposer microorganisms being infused in the activator liquid, to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, and feeding the activator liquid into the subsurface soil by injecting the activator liquid into an in-ground injection well, or warming a purification liquid for decomposing a contaminant in subsurface soil, to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, and feeding the purification liquid into the subsurface soil by injecting the purification liquid into an in-ground injection well. The subsurface soil purification method also includes forcing air into the injection well, and feeding the air into the subsurface soil from a position in the injection well that is lower than a position in the injection well for feed-in of the activator liquid or the purification liquid.

A subsurface soil purification method including: warming an activator liquid, for stimulating decomposer microorganisms that decompose a contaminant in subsurface soil, to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, and feeding the activator liquid into the subsurface soil by injecting the activator liquid into an in-ground injection well; warming an activator liquid, for stimulating decomposer microorganisms that decompose a contaminant in subsurface soil, the decomposer microorganisms being infused in the activator liquid, to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, and feeding the activator liquid into the subsurface soil by injecting the activator liquid into an in-ground injection well, or warming a purification liquid for decomposing a contaminant in subsurface soil, to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, and feeding the purification liquid into the subsurface soil by injecting the purification liquid into an in-ground injection well. The subsurface soil purification method also includes forcing air into the injection well, and feeding the air into the subsurface soil from a position in the injection well that is lower than a position in the injection well for feed-in of the activator liquid or the purification liquid.