On-Demand Webinars

ENVIRONMENTAL FORENSICS AND CHEMICAL FINGERPRINTING:
Assessing Analytical Methods and Understanding Hydrocarbon Chemistry

Environmental forensics and chemical finger printing involves identifying the type of contamination, tracing it back to its source, and occasionally fingerprinting to identify a specific source. It is useful in both remediation and litigation. It involves all aspects of site characterization and it requires an accurate conceptual site model.

In most cases involving petroleum or petrochemicals we usually start with a basic GC/FID chromatogram as a screening tool for characterization. From there, an investigation may involve chemical ratios, GC/MS precision identification and quantification, or stable isotope analysis.

As with any fingerprinting there must be a comparison fingerprint or suite of chemicals to evaluate against. We will discuss some sources of information for obtaining these comparisons and identify some key compounds and ratios that will guide the effort. Petroleum sources, formulation, refining, alterations and degradations each play a key role in selecting a reliable forensic strategy.

Gain an understanding about identifying contamination sources for both remediation and litigation purposes.

Discover additional procedures for analyzing and identifying a given suite of chemicals. Learn to confidently select and defend a forensic technique or petrochemical fingerprint that give clues regarding the origin of petroleum contamination in the subsurface.

This 90-minute webinar provides procedures for selecting a strategy for a sound environmental forensics and petrochemical fingerprinting. It also provides four case studies illustrating how context, forensics strategy and chemical fingerprinting played a role in litigation and claims reversals.

What you will gain:

• Learn the importance of CONTEXT for environmental forensics
• Discover the basics of hydrocarbon chemistry
• Optimize your selection of analytical methods based on your data
• Learn key elements of petroleum and petroleum products
• Apply case histories and examples of forensic interpretations

TOPICS:

• Context and Background
• Environmental Forensics
• Standard, legal and technical definitions about allocating liability
• What is it, who did it, when did it happen?
• Commonly referred to as fingerprinting
• Usually based on gas chromatography
• Hydrocarbon Chemistry
• Basics
• Important Aspects
• Analytical Methods
• GC/FID – The Workhorse Method – Example Chromatograms
• GC/MS
• Fluorescence
• Gravity
• Isotopes (mostly stable isotopes)
• Other
• Petroleum
• Crude Oil
• Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids
• Petroleum Products
• Refining Processes
• Product Lines: Gasoline, Kerosene, Diesel, Lube Oil, Jet Fuel, etc.
• Biofuels and Synfuels
• Case Histories and Examples of Forensic Interpretations
• Case of Mistaken Identity
• "Not my gasoline!"
• Pipeline vs. Tank vs. Wellhead Sources