Deep Well Injection: T.I.R.E.

The City of Los Angeles and Terralog Technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and with research support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation has embarked on an innovative technology to inject biosolids deep below the geological subsurface at its Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant (TIWRP). The Terminal Island Renewable Energy Project known at TIRE, the first of its kind in the nation has been in operation for over two-years. The TIRE, which is being demonstrated under a U.S. EPA five-year permit places biosolids in depleted deep subsurface oil and gas formations where the earth’s high temperature would biodegrade the organic compounds to generate methane gas that can ultimately be used to produce an environmentally safe renewable energy, while the carbon dioxide is sequestered. Three wells have been drilled to a depth of approximately 5300 feet beneath the TIWRP. So far, TIRE has successfully injected over 120 million gallons of bio-slurry material, which includes, brine, treated effluent, digested sludge and re-slurried biosolids. Currently all 50 tons of biosolids produced at TIWRP is being managed at the TIRE facility and 150 tons from the Hyperion Treatment Plant. The injection well is accepting the material and formation response is good. The operations are continuously monitored daily and data is reported to the U. S. EPA and a Technical Advisory Committee.

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TIRE Environmental Review -- The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) demonstration permit is set to expire. Based on positive results from the current demonstration the City is requesting to continue demonstrating for another five years under a new U. S. EPA UIC permit with some additions. The proposed Terminal Island Renewable Energy Project Changes Initial Study/Subsequent Negative Declaration will be circulated for a 30-day public review period from November 21, 2011 until December 27, 2011. All comments must be submitted in writing no later than 3 pm on December 27, 2011, to Diane Gilbert Jones

To learn more about the project click the links below.

• Project Scope
• Environmental and Economic Advantages
• Biosolids Processing Overview-Slurry Injection System
• Overview of Well Design
• Biosolids Placement Safeguards
• Project Overview Presentation Updated
• Volume Injected Data
• Well Rock Formation Information
• TIRE Project Brochure Updated
• TIRE Project Fact Sheet Updated

Environmental documents, permits, and contracts were completed and approved for the TIRE project. Click the links below to view the permits and contracts associated with the project.

• U. S. EPA Office of Underground Injection Control Permit
• City of Los Angeles-Mitigated Negative Declaration
• Harbor Commission-Coastal Development Permit <<New
• Bureau of Sanitation Board Report
• TIRE Project EPA Quarterly Report
  (July-September 2011) <<New
• Technical Data Supporting Experimental Objectives for
  Biosolids Injection Demonstration Project <<New

To ensure that the interested parties and public are engaged and informed about the TIRE project, the City provides presentations, tours and project updates. The first presentation was held in 2001 where over 43 participants attended. To date over 100 presentations and more than 3000 people updates have been provided.

Project Updates

The City will provide updates on the events and activities related to the project. Check back periodically to find out the project status and view photos.

• Permit issued in November 2006
• Groundbreaking occurred April 2007 and construction began June 2007
• Construction began June 2007
• First two wells completed June and July 2007
• Tested injection equipment with effluent and brine - July 2008
• Injected digested sludge - August 2008
• Injected dewatered Biosolids (Wet Cake) - September 2008
• Completed Phase III project milestones – June 2009
• Completed three years of biosolids injection operations - July 2010
• Injected over 120 million gallons of bio-slurry material since July 2008 –June 2010
• National League of Cities Silver Award -December 2010
• Collected monthly air samples since January 2011
• Submitted January-March 2011 Quarterly Report-May 2011
• Monitoring well SFI#3 in operation-May 2011

Photos of projects activities - Revised

If you would like a tour and/or presentation of the TIRE project contact us at 310-648-5248 or the information listed on the bottom of this page.

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Wells being drilled at Terminal Island.

Bureau staff discussing project with EPA staff.

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