Deep Well Injection of Bio-Slurry Demonstration Project for Renewable Energy Generation and Carbon Sequestration

The Terminal Island Renewable Energy (T.I.R.E.) Project is the nation's first full scale application of deep well injection technology to convert wastewater residuals (biosolids and brine) into a renewable energy source (high purity methane) while simultaneously sequestering greenhouse gases. A slurry mixture composed of digested sludge, trucked wetcake, and reverse osmosis treatment brine is injected into deep subsurface sand formations more than 5000ft beneath the City of Los Angeles Terminal Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. At that depth the earth's natural high temperature biodegrades the organic mass into methane and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide dissolves as a liquid (due to the high pressure) into the native formation brine and is permanently sequestered. Relatively high purity methane collects for potential use as a renewable fuel. The process provides enhanced high temperature treatment at relatively low cost, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with offsite truck transport. During the first 30 months of the project, more than 100 million gallons of slurry have been injected. The process is now managing 100% of the residuals output from the Terminal Island Plant and about 20% of the residuals output from the Hyperion Treatment Plant.