Life cycle cost analysis of contaminated site remediation using information technology tools

Contaminated oil and gas well sites, disposal of chemical substances, and polluted landfills all result in environmentally hazardous conditions that plague our society today. Contaminated site remediation and reclamation are critical for sustainable resource development and management of cumulative environmental effects. However, it is challenging to improve remediation efficiency and reduce costs of remediation due to complex site environmental conditions. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated approach of remediation assessment and total cost analysis on a single platform using SQL, Microsoft Azure, and PowerBI. The decision support tool aggregates data of contaminants, materials, and remediation alternatives at remediation sites and stores the information in a SQL database. The tool then compares alternative treatment options and their associated costs through cost breakdown of materials, labour, equipment, and energy. The results show that the tool is capable of life cycle cost analysis for the ex situ remediation technology, including biological, thermal, and chemical treatments. The built-in cost analysis fosters real-time availability of different treatment options which is geared towards providing an effective and efficient way to conduct a cost analysis for decision-makers with scalable, reliable, and robust analytical capabilities in a single system.