Company Overview

Matrix Solutions Inc. (Matrix) is an environmental consulting firm based in Calgary, Alberta, with satellite offices in Grande Prairie, High Level, Pincher Creek and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). We specialize in the assessment, monitoring, remediation and reclamation of soil and water resources. Matrix combines the professional expertise of two well-known predecessor companies, Groundwater Solutions Ltd. and Jim Lore & Associates.

Over the past decade, Matrix and its predecessor firms have worked almost exclusively for the oil and gas exploration, production and processing industry. This still forms the core of our client base and we have applied our expertise at more than 500 upstream petroleum industry sites, ranging in size from single well sites and pipeline metering stations to major sour gas processing plants, oil sands developments and refineries. In more recent years Matrix has expanded its clientele to include the downstream oil and gas sector, mining, agriculture, manufacturing, commercial establishments and regulatory agencies.

Matrix offers reliable, recognized expertise in the areas of water supply engineering, environmental monitoring, subsurface investigation, environmental liability assessment, human health, ecological and public health risk assessment, air quality monitoring and modelling, site decommissioning, remediation and surface reclamation. In every case we aim to provide innovative, cost-effective and technically-sound solutions for the optimal remediation, protection and use of air, soils and groundwater.

Our professionals are trained in the areas of geology, hydrogeology, agrology, water resources development, environmental engineering, environmental biology, soil science and chemistry. We also maintain ongoing working associations with other highly qualified professionals and strategic associations with recognized analytical laboratories and drilling companies to facilitate a timely, coordinated and competent approach to our projects.

Our goal is to always meet or exceed our clients' expectations by providing sound and innovative solutions to environmental problems. In order to do this, Matrix keeps clients' objectives in the forefront while providing a wide range of consulting services and products.

These are some of the services and products we offer: Environmental Assessments, Public Health, Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessments, Data Analysis, Interpretation and Environmental Modelling, Air Quality Management, Environmental Monitoring, Remediation System Design, Testing and Implementation, Surface Reclamation and Revegetation, Pipeline Services, Underground Storage Tanks, Water Supply, Agricultural Consulting, Equipment and Software.

Company Information

Additional Details

Legal Name: Matrix Solutions Inc.

Contacts

Products

• Conduct A Soil Gas Survey.

  Matrix conducted a soil gas survey and oversaw installation of monitoring wells throughout the community and adjacent areas. Monitoring and residents' wells were sampled to delineate the source and extent of the hydrocarbons, which were shown to originate at a nearby gas processing plant. Pilot testing and groundwater modelling were conducted to design a 16-well interception system which was installed to recover contaminated groundwater. Operation of the system began in June 1993 and has continued to the present. Soil vapour extraction and air sparging systems were installed at the plant in 1995.

  Investigative and recovery operation results have been presented to the company, Alberta Environmental Protection and community residents in reports and public meetings. In-place hydrocarbon mass and groundwater concentrations at the site have decreased by approximately two orders of magnitude since remediation began (ongoing).

• Decommission, Remediate And Reclaim The Site.

  The multi-phase decommissioning plan, submitted to and approved by regulatory authorities included:

  • A subsurface investigation to ascertain the extent of soils and groundwater requiring remediation.
  • Development of risk based criteria for ethylbenzene and xylenes, approved and adopted for the site.
  • Reuse and recycling of a large portion of the plant's major equipment items, piping and cable. Salvage revenues helped to offset the cost of decommissioning and remediation.
  • Onsite treatmen of 53, 000m2 soils beneath 45, 000m3 overburden to meet site-specific criteria. Only 90m3 soils were transported offsite to a landfill. Improvements in groundwater quality were observed almost immediately.

  Upon completion, regulatory acceptance of the soil remediation program was attained rendering soil quality suitable for unrestricted land use.

• Environmental Products And Services
• Groundwater Modelling, Groundwater Remediation System.

  Drilling on a former oil battery indicated the presence of extensive free product hydrocarbons, which had migrated more than 150 m offsite as dissolved hydrocarbons, to within 50 m of a residential well and a spring used for livestock watering. Using groundwater modelling, a 17-well groundwater interception and infiltration system was designed. This system was installed and became operational in December 1995. A surfactant flooding system was pilot tested in 1996 (ongoing).

• Resistivity Survey, Dewatering Wells.

  The company had installed a culvert to provide pressure relief; however, the culvert flowed steadily at 160 m3/day. Matrix performed a resistivity survey and delineated a large, buried channel aquifer. Dewatering wells were installed into the channel and pumped to lower the water table, while the company re-excavated the sump and installed a liner system. The dewatering wells pumped more than 1, 600 m3 per day. After cessation of pumping, no additional seepage was noted.

• Soil Gas Survey, Monitoring.

  Matrix performed soil gas surveying, installed piezometers and obtained verbal approval to proceed with remediation from Alberta Environmental Protection. Remediation consisted of excavation, soil removal and landfarming. Total soil removed was 7, 700 m3. A follow up report was prepared for the owners and regulators. Extensive review of potential hydrocarbon sources and product types was performed using aerial photographs and gas chromatography.

  Total project time, from tank removal to submitting the remediation report, was less than 6 months.

Additional Information