The Hsinchu Oil Supply Center, formerly known as CPC Hsinchu Oil Depot, was commissioned in 1954 and used to supply 1,800 to 2,000 kiloliters of oil per day. Given that the oil supply center was situated close to a residential area, commercial district, and technology cluster, the local residents have expressed dissent against the presence of such a facility time and time again. Eventually, the central government, CPC, and the local government worked together to decommission Hsinchu Oil Supply Center along with its 18 oil tanks in 2017. A pollution remediation and urbanization project was soon passed to connect the nearby TFC ONE and the new arts and culture development into a “Hsinchu Science X Innovation Industry Park.”
CPC has been taking active measures to control the quality of soil and groundwater at the site that used to be Hsinchu Oil Supply Center, and adopted techniques and management approaches that cater for environmental, social, and economic benefits at the same time. A green, sustainability, and remediation system was introduced for the remediation of the polluted site, and attention was directed toward supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Practices
Precision survey
The oil supply center has long been in existence, and a rigorous pollution survey was planned to precisely determine the location, concentration, and distribution of pollution. Due to the fact that oil pollutants tend to spread from underground pipelines, CPC surveyed the soil condition using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), resistivity image profiling (RIP), and membrane interface probe (MIP) and took soil samples at about 250 locations before proceeding with excavation works. By establishing a 3-dimensional outline on the spread of pollution and pipeline position, CPC is able to plan its works and strategies appropriately ahead of time.
Pipe removal and prevention of secondary contamination
The underground pipelines have been altered several times over the years to accommodate changes in operation (such as relocation of heavy/light oil loading zones), leaving behind pipelines from different times. To properly treat pollution, pipes must be removed. Failure to do so creates work safety risks and may lead to inappropriate discharge of residual oil waste, causing secondary or new contamination. For this project, CPC has adopted sparkless cutting and made progressive plans to cut pipelines of different sections, depths, orientations, and functions. By avoiding the use of tools that may cause structural damage to the pipelines, CPC was able to collect oil waste and greatly reduce the impact of secondary contamination on the environment and nearby residents, which in turn lowers hidden costs of the improvement work and the environment.
Efficient screening, testing, and classification of soil
Classification of contaminated soil depends largely on the quick screening (such as use of TPH test-kit) performed on site, and by increasing the precision of the screening method, we can efficiently distinguish soil of different levels of contamination and determine the optimal method of treatment. In a collaboration with the team at Industrial Technology Research Institute, CPC adopted the fast gas chromatography process from the soil sample laboratory and was able to significantly reduce errors in the quick screens performed on site, and thereby improve the accuracy of soil classification, increase the efficiency of excavation works and machinery allocation, and decrease the carbon footprint of various tasks performed.
Increasing and ensuring success of bioremediation
Most of the contaminated soil found on site is characterized as silt and silty clay, and would require pre-treatment for more effective bioremediation. In an attempt to increase the success rate and efficiency of bioremediation efforts, CPC has incorporated the use of diesel-degrading bacteria as part of the bioremediation procedure, added appropriate amounts of nutrient salt based on site analysis, increased the frequency and intensity of soil tilling, and adjusted the formula for soil of different contamination characteristics and severity.
Effective reduction of contaminated soil
Reducing the amount of contaminated soil leaving the site would be an added advantage, which was why CPC adopted effective bioremediation treatment on soil of moderate- or low-level contamination. By improving the effectiveness of bioremediation treatment on soil with high-carbon contaminants, CPC expects to reduce the volume of contaminated soil leaving the site, which will have a decisive effect on the overall effectiveness of the project. If we are able to reduce the volume of contaminated soil leaving the site, we can lower the carbon footprint incurred on soil transportation and accomplish our long-term goals on green remediation while allocating budgets in a more efficient manner.
Supply of safe drinking water
The site exhibits contamination of groundwater, and CPC is currently supplying drinking water to downstream residents until the site is cleared of contamination. Meanwhile, the Company reminds residents to avoid drinking and making use of groundwater, whereas employees are assigned to visit local village chiefs regularly to brief on work progress and gather public opinions.
Preservation of historical buildings
When the government of The Republic of China relocated to Taiwan in 1949, it constructed Zhong Zhen Village, the first military dependents’ housing, over unused factory land. This village, together with the “giant chimney,” have been designated as historical building by the Hsinchu City Government. Since 2020, the remediation work on Hsinchu Fuel Distribution Center has removed 17 of the pre-existing oil tanks, but considering that tank S1 was the first to be constructed and that the structure carries historical significance, it has been preserved intact.
Reduction of energy consumption
By using precast concrete blocks as retaining wall, CPC is able to avoid casting new retaining walls for each work section and save the hassle of removing them afterwards. These concrete blocks also offer the flexibility of being hoisted to the desired location at any time, and moved off the work site once the task has ended to be used in another project, all without generating any construction waste.
Reduction of emission
Through the use of automated time control, equipment can be operated within shorter duration of time for optimal environmental impact at the work site. Dust covers have been deployed on large areas of bare land to suppress spread of dust.
Reducing total impact of soil removed from site
CPC adopts a combination of soil replacement and bioremediation techniques. Any soil excavated from site that is deemed to carry a moderate level of contamination is transported to a nearby location for bioremediation. Compared to the alternative option of removing all soil of moderate- and high-level contamination from the site, this process reduces emissions of CO2, NOx, SOx, and suspended particulates.
Reuse of water resources
Waste oil, wastewater, and rainwater are treated separately. CPC gathers rainwater at times of heavy rainfall and uses it to wash equipment, ground, and for suppression of dust.
Waste reduction
Waste pipelines are reused as material; oil residuals inside underground pipelines are collected by the professional pipe removal team and transported using tank trucks to CPC’s refineries for recycling and reuse.
Improved cost effectiveness from lessened removal of contaminated soil
The project adopts techniques such as bioremediation and building separation that reduced work expenses by approximately NT$600 million.
Establishment of relationship with diverse partners
Takuo Sakai, Professor of Osaka Prefecture University, and his team of technology experts have been invited to exchange knowledge and offer guidance onsite. Meanwhile, CPC cooperates with Vanung University and National Taiwan University on studies that involve the use of diesel-degrading bacteria and microorganisms capable of fast and efficient degradation of high-carbon oil contamination in soil remediation; by adopting the bioremediation approach instead of off-site remediation, CPC hopes to lessen carbon emission and work expenses.
Connecting the “Hsinchu Science X Project” for increase in land revitalization yield
In the future, the 28 hectares of land owned by TFC and CPC along Gongdao 5th Road will be the focus of Hsinchu City Government’s Hsinchu Science X Innovation Industry Park project, and become a R&D and software-based industry park for next-generation technologies such as AI and IoT, surrounded by international exhibition centers and leisure spaces. The project plans to construct three main buildings; the first software building with a budget of NT$4 billion is expected to be completed in 2024, and its software focus should complement the hardware-heavy Hsinchu Science Park in a way that increases product added value.