Auburn Environmental Services
2945 Bell Road #212 , Auburn, California, United States

AES makes it look easy by delivering the best in value, full-view advisement, data reliability, and leading-edge solutions to its clients with the core competency and performance strength of a large firm but at a small firm-type level of responsiveness and care. A passion for process refinement and constant improvement has brought us to heightened levels of proficiency in areas such as industrial hygiene, air quality/permitting, safety science, ergonomics, epidemiology, environmental science, geotechnical/site compliance, spill response, hazards/contaminants, remediation/abatement, predictive maintenance, non-destructive evaluations and much more.

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations referenced at Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations including Part 98, Subpart W.

• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) Regulation 7.

• Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) exemptions for Category No. 33 and Category No. 38.

• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulations and alternative work practice standards for monitoring equipment for leaks listed in 40 CFR parts 60, 61, 63, and 65.

• West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) Act

• American Petroleum Institute (API) – API 653, API 510, and API 570.

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), Steel Tank Institute, and Fiberglass Tank & Pipe Institute

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) general industry, construction and maritime.

• American Society of Safety Engineers, American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Guided Wave Ultrasonic Testing (GWUT)

AES specializes in the nondestructive testing of pipelines with long-range ultrasound. Under ideal conditions, the technology may be used to inspect up to 4000 feet (1.2 km) in one day, but the actual inspection range depends on the type of pipe coating, degree of corrosion present in the pipeline, number of elbows, and pipe location. The technology has been successfully applied to pipelines that transport gases or liquids, and is also effective on hot lines such as steam piping.

Storage Tank Services

Our AES experts make it possible to optimize and execute effective and efficient tank inspection solutions for steel tanks; fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks, and spherical tanks. Fast and sustainable results for American Petroleum Institute (API) inspections enable clients to comply with API 653, API 510, and API 570 inspections. Our certified inspectors have Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) training in fall protection, rope access, confined space, and other topics.

Corrosion Monitoring

Corrosion monitoring from AES helps to eliminate catastrophic failure due to corrosion related to corrosive chemicals and operating conditions. AES helps you maintain safe, reliable operation of your industrial equipment to prevent structural failure and loss of containment that results in costly repairs, lost or contaminated products, environmental damage, risk to personnel, and loss of public confidence. Our qualified engineers, certified inspectors and material specialists can develop a unique corrosion management strategy to meet your specific needs. We offer you unrivaled experience, knowledge and equipment to bring you a full range of corrosion monitoring services.

Oil and Gas

AES has experience working in in both conventional and unconventional oil & gas plays and this allows us to help operators successfully complete their projects and maintain compliance. AES specializes in regulatory compliance such as the recently proposed changes to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting rules.  On March 10, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed changes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting rules pertaining to hydraulic fracturing and the oil and natural gas industries sector promulgated at (40 CFR Part 98, Subpart W), which require oil and natural gas facilities to report GHG emissions from leaks and venting.

Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulically fractured well completions on non-exploratory wells would be required to employ “green” completion techniques and/or pit-flaring for both newly fractured wells and existing wells where re-fracturing is performed. Green completions involve installing special equipment that captures and separates gas and liquid hydrocarbons that can then be treated and sold. This equipment may include tanks, gas-liquid-sand separator traps, and gas dehydration. Venting is proposed as an alternative only when pit-flaring poses a safety hazard, when the flow back gas contains high concentrations of nitrogen or carbon dioxide, or when other technical barriers exist.  Fractured exploratory and delineation wells are generally not within proximity to existing gathering lines. Therefore, EPA is proposing the use of pit-flaring for these wells. Again, venting is proposed as an alternative only when pit-flaring is deemed a safety hazard or when flow back gas is noncombustible.  Green completions have been used voluntarily by companies in states such as Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. However, their technical and economic feasibility is still being evaluated. Many exploration and production companies question EPA’s proposal to apply a “one-size-fits-all” approach to controlling hydraulic fracturing, given the wide range of operations and gas VOC contents across the country. EPA has determined that VOC emissions from wellheads during production operations are very small, and therefore, is not proposing any controls during these operations.

Compressors

EPA proposes to regulate both centrifugal and reciprocating compressors located anywhere between the wellhead and the city gate as VOC emission sources. Each newly constructed and replaced compressor would be an affected unit and would be subject to the proposed requirements.  As proposed, centrifugal compressors must be equipped with dry seal systems, as opposed to wet seal systems. EPA notes that it may allow wet seals if vented to closed vent systems and control devices.  Reciprocating compressors would need to meet operational standards, including the replacement of the rod packing every 26,000 hours of use. This would require monitoring of the hours of operation for each affected compressor. However, EPA is seeking comment on a leak threshold as a basis for rod packing replacement and the appropriateness of a fixed replacement frequency.