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| Resource Library > Technology Transfer > Programs and Initiatives > Bioventing > Cost |
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The AFCEE document "Bioventing Performance and Cost Results from Multiple Air Force Test Sites" summarizes the results of bioventing treatability tests conducted at multiple Air Force sites. These efforts were part of the AFCEE Bioventing Initiative. There were four key objectives to the initiative: (1) document the ability of bioventing to remediate petroleum-contaminated sites in a variety of climatic, soil, and contaminant conditions; (2) use this significant data set to complete the Bioventing Principles and Practice Manual (Volume 1 and Volume 2); (3) promote regulatory and public acceptance of bioventing; and (4) begin effectively remediating 125 fuel-contaminated sites at a minimum cost to the taxpayer.
The AFCEE Bioventing Initiative proved to be very effective and successful:
- Bioventing was found to be effective under a variety of soil and climatic conditions
- Based on soil sampling data from over 100 sites, an average BTEX reduction of 97$ was achieved during the first year of testing
- The application of bioventing at the sites included in the AFCEE bioventing initiative realized an estimate 3:1 return on investment as compared to the application of SVE.
- The average cost for design, installation, and one year of operation and monitoring at a single vent well bioventing site was less than $60,000 per site, based on actual costs incurred at the test sites.
- Regulatory acceptance of bioventing was obtained in 38 states and all 10 EPA regions. The Bioventing Initiative greatly accelerated the use of the technology in the private sector.
- At nearly half of the sites tested, the pilot systems were converted into full-scale remediation systems, saving the Air Force an estimated $5M to $10M in design and construction costs.
- At the majority of the bioventing sites, the reductions in BTEX achieved during the first year of bioventing were sufficient to meet the most conservative EPA risk-based cleanup criteria for soils.
| Task |
Total ($) |
| Site Visit/Planning |
5,000 |
| Work Plan |
5,000 |
| Pilot Testing |
27,000 |
| Regulatory Approval |
3,000 |
| Full-scale Construction |
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| Design |
7,500 |
| Drilling/Sampling* |
15,000 |
| Installation/Start-up |
5,000 |
| Two-year Monitoring |
8,500 |
| Two-year Power |
2,800 |
| Soil Sampling at Two Years |
13,500 |
| Total |
92,300 |
Typical Full-scale Bioventing Costs
*Assumes 4 air injection wells, drilled to depth of 15 feet
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Cost Analysis
Based on Air Force applications of bioventing, the total cost of in situ soil remediation using bioventing, as given in the AFCEE document Bioventing Performance and Cost Results from Multiple Air Force Test Sites, is $10 to $60 per cubic yard. At sites with over 10,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, costs of less than $10 per cubic yard have been achieved. Costs greater than $60 per cubic yard are associated with smaller sites (less than 500 cubic yards); however, bioventing can still offer significant advantages over more disruptive excavation options. Operations and maintenance (O&M) costs are minimal, particularly when base personnel perform simple system checks and routine maintenance (e.g., change air filters). Here, a table is provided to illustrate a more detailed cost breakdown for remediation of a typical Air Force site with 5,000 cubic yards of soil contaminated and an average soil concentration of 3,000 mg/kg of JP-4.
The figure below provides a comparison of estimated unit costs for several technologies commonly used for remediating fuel-contaminated soils. All costs are based on the treatment of soil contaminated with 3,000 mg/kg of JP-4. Costs are provided for the following remediation scenarios: 2 years of in situ bioventing (includes all tasks shown in the table at right); excavation and 1 year of on-base landfarming with leachate controls; 1 year of soil vapor extraction (SVE) with thermal vapor treatment; and excavation followed by off-site low-temperature thermal desorption (LTTD). The cost of reconstructing excavated areas is not included. At many sites with contamination beneath concrete and buildings, bioventing is the only cost-effective treatment option.
| Unit Capital Cost of Bioventing* |
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*Bioventing costs are based on expenses incurred during the AFCEE Bioventing Initiative. Other technologies are based on vendor information.
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Cost of Bioventing versus Depth
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