vapor intrusion mitigation

Terra-Petra to attend topping off celebration for 2747 Park project in Palo Alto

The Level 10 team is set to celebrate the topping out of the the 2747 Park project on Thursday, October 5th. Designed by  the Jay Paul Company, this development is steps from Caltrain in Palo Alto, California. 2747 Park provides a future-forward workplace designed for Silicon Valley’s innovative workforce. Terra-Petra has been invited to attend the event having designed the vapor intrusion mitigation system for the site. Level 10 will also have the topping out beam available for signatures onsite beginning October 3rd.

Terra-Petra working on eleven of top fifty construction projects in Los Angeles

Environmental engineering firm, Terra-Petra, is currently working with close to 42% of the top 50 construction projects in the Los Angeles area—as listed by the Los Angeles Business Journal in the publication’s new (2015) Book of Lists.

Los Angeles, CA (September 22, 2015) — Terra-Petra, a national environmental engineering headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles has announced that the firm is currenly working with 24% of the top 50 major construction projects currently underway in Los Angeles County—as listed on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2015 Book of Lists. This complete collection of data on industry leaders in a variety of industries was researched by the LABJ editorial team of the past year. The top construction projects have been ranked by construction cost and excludes infrastructure projects

According to Justin Conaway, Vice President of Terra-Petra. “Terra-Petra has been fortunate enough to have the diverse service offerings which have allowed us the opportunity to bid on a wide array of these developments. Our customer intimacy strategy allows us to offer a great value to our clients, I truly believe that our close customer/client relationships have differentiated us from our competition and has permitted us to secure many of these contracts.”

Terra-Petra’s involvement with most of the construction projects listed on LABJ’s Top 50 list ranges from methane testing, mitigation design and inspection to building envelope waterproofing consulting and inspection. “Hopefully our recent contributions will help to ensure that each project we work on is safe and successful,” says Kevin Buchanan, Terra-Petra President.

Working with 11 of the top 50 , Terra-Petra is currently supporting three of the top four ranked projects (number 1, 2 and 4) as well as with numbers 14, 16, 21, 25, 27, 41 and 47 and 50. Justin Conaway is also currently working on a bid with one other project on the LABJ list. Read the Top 50 Construction Projects in Los Angeles list here: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3.

“More realistically there are only 28 projects listed that are probably in a methane/methane buffer zone. So to be more accurate we are working on 42% of all potential projects on this list that we could bid on. That is a pretty impressive market share considering all of the local competition,” says Conaway.

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About Terra-Petra

Terra Petra’s expertise includes soil gas characterization, remediation, and in the design and inspection of gas mitigation systems for buildings of all types – including commercial, multiple family, single family, industrial, institutional and retail. We are methane experts and methane gas specialists. Our services include: Methane, Brownfield, Vapor Intrusion, Landfill, Oil Field, Site Closure, Geology/Hydrogeology and Radon as well as full service waterproofing consulting and services. Terra-Petra takes charge of every specific challenge from the very beginning of every project to engineer sustainable system and design cost-effective systems. For more information, visit: www.terra-petra.com.

Update on Terra-Petra’s Pacific City Oil Well Abandonment Project

Joe Morelli, Fire Protection Analyst of the HBDF, and Terra-Petra's Larry Barnes consulting near an abandoned oil well trenchNearly two years after commencing environmental work on the Pacific City project in Huntington Beach, California, the site is prepared for further construction. After intensive environmental work to verify the integrity of the on-site oil and water well abandonments, all necessary permits are in place to start constructing the foundation of the approximately 190,000 sq. ft. property. Terra-Petra is proud to have taken part in such a notable development project while contributing to tremendous cost savings for the client.

In order to bring incredible value to the project, Terra-Petra came to a practical remediation plan contradictory to one which may have been reached by blindly conforming to re-abandonment codes and procedures. After a careful review of all information obtained from field explorations and well documents from the DOGGR, Larry Barnes – Terra-Petra’s Senior Petroleum Geologist – determined that a minimally intrusive remediation approach would be sufficient for the site. This approach involved shortening all wells to a depth between 6 and 10 feet below grade, recapping each well head with a circular metal plate, and installing a methane mitigation vent cone at each well head. Rather than disturbing the abandoned wells and replacing all cement plugs with costly drilling expenses, this much more non-intrusive approach was deemed more than adequate for preventing any future leaks and site contamination.

In convincing the governing agencies that is safer to leave the wells relatively undisturbed and proceeding with the aforementioned action plan, Terra-Petra was able to successfully save the client millions of dollars while simultaneously reducing their risks on this sizeable development project. With the combined expertise of the construction team Terra-Petra was able to meet the expedited construction schedule. The client is now in the process of grading the site in preparation for foundation construction. Terra-Petra will be on hand to proceed with the necessary methane gas mitigation measures on the foundation of the site for the safety of future site residents.

[PHOTO: Joe Morelli, Fire Protection Analyst of the HBDF, and  Terra-Petra's Larry Barnes consulting near an abandoned oil well trench.]

Terra-Petra helps deveolper save millions with oil well remediation plan

Excavation equipment unearthing an identified oil wellTerra-Petra’s construction division was recently contacted to prepare an Oil Well History Report of 20 oil wells located on an 18 acre site in Huntington Beach, California. In accordance with the requirements of the Huntington Beach Fire Department, Terra-Petra’s team performed a “sniff test” on the oil well heads, then followed up with appropriate necessary re-abandonment activities in order to stop any leakage and contamination. 

Photo on right: Excavation equipment unearthing an identified oil well.

See more photo highlights below.

The scope of work began with surveying and staking the location of all 20 oil wells and providing excavation equipment and labor to uncover 15 of the abandoned wells while making them safe for entry. Dave Lucero, Terra-Petra’s Senior Project Scientist, was responsible for managing all excavation/backfilling operations and overseeing the entirety of field activities.

Dave also monitored all soil stockpiles for V.O.C. emissions and dust control per the requirements of the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Rule 1166.1. With Dave's extensive field experience and expert project oversight all oil wells were located, excavated, and exposed for sniff testing.

Larry Barnes, Terra-Petra’s Senior Geologist, took charge of conducting the sniff testing of each of the 15 excavated oil wells, 5 vented oil wells, and monitoring for fugitive gas emissions at each well head per the requirements of Huntington Beach Fire Department City Spec. 422 and the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR).

As a California Licensed Petroleum Geologist, Larry’s duties included documenting the wells’ history, the casing and liners of the wells, the type of cement used to complete the well abandonments, preparing well diagrams, and recording information on all oil/gas zones. With this comprehensive information Larry was able to provide the developer with an ongoing Oil Well History Report for the Huntington Beach site. His expert knowledge in the geological field and long-standing relationship with the DOGGR facilitate the process of determining the level of safety for structures to be built over or near the wells and the corresponding safety recommendations.

After a careful review of all information obtained from field explorations and well documents obtained from the DOGGR, Terra-Petra came to a practical remediation plan contradictory to one which may have been reached simply by conforming to re-abandonment codes and procedures. Rather than disturbing the abandoned wells and replacing all cement plugs with costly drilling expenses, it was determined that a much more non-intrusive approach would be more than adequate for preventing any future leaks and site contamination. This approach involved shortening all wells to a depth between 6 and 10 feet below grade, recapping each well head with a circular metal plate, and installing a methane mitigation vent cone at each well head. In convincing the governing agencies that is safer to leave the wells relatively undisturbed and proceeding with the aforementioned action plan, Terra-Petra has successfully saved the client millions of dollars on this notable development project.

With the combined expertise of the construction team Terra-Petra was able to meet the expedited construction schedule. The client is now prepared to proceed with the necessary gas mitigation measures for the safety of future site residents.

Photo highlights

An excavated trench revealing an abandoned oil well cap, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An excavated trench revealing an abandoned oil well cap.

 

 

 Terra-Petra excavation equipment compiling a soil stockpile near an abandoned oil well trench.

 

Terra-Petra excavation equipment compiling a soil stockpile near anabandoned oil well trench.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Joe Morelli, Fire Protection Analyst of the HBDF, and Terra-Petra's Larry Barnes consulting near an abandoned oil well trench.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

A safe-to enter trench revealing the location of an oil well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An excavated cement well plug.

Terra-Petra supports the City of Hope Construction Industries Alliance Spirit of Life Gala

City of Hope Construction Industries Alliance Spirit of Life GalaTerra-Petra has proudly joined the efforts of MVE + Partners in supporting the City of Hope Construction Industries Alliance Spirit of Life Gala which will be held in Orange County, California this fall. 

The City of Hope National Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit clinical research center hospital and graduate medical school that is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people with diabetes, cancer and other serious illnesses.

The City of Hope mission is accomplished by providing healthcare, conducting innovative research and offering vital education programs focused on eliminating these diseases.Through making a small contribution, Terra-Petra stands together with other construction industry professionals in the spirit of life to fight against cancer and search for a cure.

For more information regarding sponsorship, tickets or other event details (venue and date to be announced), visit: http://www.cityofhope.org/spirit-of-life

Terra-Petra Welcomes San Francisco Bay Area Account Executive, Mark Wagner

Terra-Petra recently welcomed account executive, Mark Wagner, to the company’s San Francisco office. He will handle the management of the increased environmental engineering project workload coming out of a developing San Francisco Bay Area market. Mark’s degree in engineering and prior experience working for a Northern California firm that handles contaminated soil and water remediation makes him the perfect person to serve as Bay Area account executive for Terra-Petra.  

Mark received his engineering degree from Messiah College in Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania—where is also held a position as student project manager for the school’s Biodiesel Project. In this role, he conducted research for possible uses of glycerin from the biodiesel production process and led a team of peers to focus on engineering design project management. While attending Messiah, he also spent time as an intern for HCJB Global in Ecuador, gaining experience in topographical map development as well as direct project oversight and successfully led the development of a spring preserve for a community of 85 residents to access clean water in the Amazon. 

Mark gained his most recent project management experience serving as project coordinator for Innovative Construction Solutions. At Innovative, he had the opportunity to gain insight into environmental remediation working with multiple project managers, and tracking progress on multiple projects throughout the Bay Area. Mark Wagner is a true pioneer in the environmental engineering industry and the perfect fit for Terra-Petra’s expansion into the Bay Area.

Terra-Petra at ICSC RECon 2015 – Las Vegas – May 17-20

#recon15Environmental Engineering firm, Terra-Petra, will once again have a booth in the “Green Zone”  booth N1665 on the Exhibition Floor at ICSC RECon 2015 in Las Vegas (May 17-20). For more information visit: https://lnkd.in/bDrCKKS.

Contact Terra-Petra VP/GM, Justin Conaway,
to request/arrange a meeting day/time while at the convention.

Terra-Petra’s GM/VP Justin Conaway to speak at the Colorado Environmental Management Society March 10

JustinConawayVPGM Terra-Petra GM/VPCEMS March Luncheon – Engineering Control Trends in Vapor Intrusion Mitigation – March 10

Speaker: Justin Conaway, Vice President |General Manager and Patrick Guan, Regional Manager, Terra-Petra Environmental Engineering.

Tuesday, March 10, 11:30am – 1:00pm.  There will be no CLE for this presentation.

In recent years the implementation of vapor intrusion mitigation systems has become more common for ground-up development. There are many different forces and factors that are influencing this rise in popularity. There are also numerous engineering controls available to protect a given building from vapor intrusion. This presentation discusses the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Engineering Control Trends that are being specified and installed today on new construction projects. The benefits of these systems will be outlined and we will identify how various stakeholders have influenced the current trend.

Justin Conaway, VP/GM of Terra-Petra has been with the company since 2004. In this time he has developed a unique knowledge of the vapor intrusion industry in that he has been involved with nearly every aspect of the vapor intrusion cycle from site characterization through installation.

Mr. Conaway has a wealth of experience and competencies, including: Construction Quality Assurance Inspection, Mitigation System Design, Permitting, Document Submittal and Negotiations with Governing Agencies, Risk Management Decision Making Process with Developers, Contract Negotiation, Installation Costing, On-Going Operation and Maintenance Monitoring and Reporting, and Research and Development to launch innovative vapor intrusion products.

Patrick Guan, Regional Manager for Terra-Petra has been with the company since 2012. In this time, he applied his vast experience in sales/marketing, strategic planning, operational management, and superior customer service skills that he developed over the past 17 years working for fortune 500 companies to help drive the ambitious expansion goals of Terra-Petra from a regional success story to a thriving successful nationwide operation. He has done this by executing a clear and concise marketing campaign that presented a positive compelling brand identity for the company. He helped increased the company’s market share throughout the country by emphasizing Terra-Petra’s expertise, and superior value driven customer service that has made it so successful in the West Coast region.

LOCATION: The EPA Conference Center located on the 2nd floor of the EPA Region 8 Headquarters building at 1595 Wynkoop Street in Denver, Colorado. 

To register, please visit this link

Terra-Petera Methane begins mitigation system installation project for The Irvine Company in Playa Vista, California

Terra-Petra is excited to announce that the methane mitigation system installation is in progress on three new apartment complexes in Playa Vista being developed by The Irvine Company.

The Irvine Company selected the architectural firm of McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners (MVE) out of Irvine to realize their vision of bringing a premier apartment community to the west side of Los Angeles. MVE has designed three mediterranean style apartment complexes each having one level of subterranean parking with on grade parking and four levels of apartments above grade. The building footprints increase in size moving from west to east from 187,067 SQ.FT., 256,866 SQ.FT. and 333,827 SQ.FT. 

MVE’s design team for these three projects included the following prestigious firms:

Structural Engineer: Englekirk –  Los Angeles
Civil Engineer: Fuscoe – Irvine
Geotechnical Engineer: Group Delta – Torrance

The project are located in the City of Los Angeles Methane Zone, thus Terra-Petra was selected by The Irvine Company as the methane design engineer for these projects given our strong Terra-Petra personnel witnessing the installation of Treco Barrier Solutions Vapor Lock-M. Left to right Andrew Alvarran, Jesus Mora, Danile Valdez and Eduardo Rangelreputation as a high quality methane consulting firm as well as our ability to simultaneously design three large scale complex projects in an expedited fashion. We were brought on to the design team in February of this year. We completed the methane mitigation system design work along with all permitted systems by the beginning of October, and way ahead of schedule.

The construction phase of this development began under Western National, serving as the General Contractor on the project. All three buildings are being constructed concurrently and Terra-Petra will be responsible for carrying-out all Deputy Methane Barrier (DMBI) inspection work for each one. The arduous task associated with performing continuous inspections of the methane mitigation system for three projects being constructed simultaneously can only be achieved by Terra-Petra given that we maintain the largest and most experienced staff of DMBI Inspectors in the industry.  

We're looking forward to completing another successful methane mitigation project!

Related articles on the Playa Vista Development.   

http://www.ocbj.com/news/2012/oct/28/irvine-company-eyes-playa-vista/
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324784404578145572308360156
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/26/business/la-fi-mo-playa-vista-sale-20121121