Learn how Advantek’s partner, Vaulted Deep, manages our carbon removal attributes from this facility.

Advantek®’s Terminal
Island Site

The largest carbon removal facility on earth, using the most advanced biosolids management technology anywhere

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BIOSOLIDS INJECTED VOLUME – METRIC TONS TO DATE

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CAPACITY METRIC TONS PER DAY

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ESTIMATED TONS OF GHGs AVOIDED

Municipal Waste Management Through Deep Earth Injection

Located at the Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant in the City of Los Angeles, California, Advantek’s Terminal Island Renewable Energy site (TIRE) is the world’s first permanent facility injecting organic materials like biosolids and treated sewage sludge. TIRE also injects filtrate brine from the City’s reverse osmosis water recycling processes.

Our facility was developed in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, the US EPA, and the US Department of Energy and commenced injection operations in July, 2008. The site now manages 100% of the biosolids from the City of Los Angeles Terminal Island Plant and about 20% of the residuals output from the Hyperion Treatment Plant.

Municipal Sludge – A Growing Challenge
Each year, millions of tons of sewage sludge and biosolids are generated by municipal sanitation agencies around the world. In the United States and elsewhere, most biosolids are trucked long distances and spread on rural land or, in some cases, pumped into waterways or oceans. For example, in the City of LA, the biosolids which are not injected at our facility are dewatered and hauled nearly 300 miles round trip to be land applied in another county.

Advantek’s patented Deep Earth Digestion / Sequestration technology covers all aspects of a successful project: appropriate geological formation selection, well design, and advanced geophysical monitoring. Using our technology, biosolids can be injected and permanently sequestered within the soft, porous, sand formations in the deep subsurface, around 5,000+ ft below ground. Doing so provides significant environmental benefits, including: eliminating land application and discharges into waterways (and their associated emissions and odors), geologic sequestration of CO2 and CH4 generated by biosolids decomposition, improving environmental justice, eliminating trucking, and providing greater local control.

Moreover the facility has the capacity within its permitted wells to handle up to 100% of the city’s biosolids for the next century, an unprecedented capacity unmatched by any of the city’s other management options.

Awards
In 2010, the TIRE project received the National League of Cities (NLC) Award for Municipal Excellence. The award recognizes cities and towns for outstanding programs that improve the quality of life in America’s communities.

Carbon Credits
TIRE permanently sequesters more biomass carbon than any other publicly known facility. Carbon credits from this facility are being marketed by our exclusive partner, Vaulted Deep.

Tire Fact Sheet

Safe CO2 sequestration

Eliminates environmental impact from landfarming

Low operational risk

GHG emissions reductions

CLASS V Deep Injection Well

An Inside Look at Terminal Island

4 Wells

SFI#1
SFI#2
SFI#3
SFI#4
(used interchangeably as monitoring or injection wells)

Depth

~5,000 – 7,500 ft

Capacity

680 Metric Tons biosolids per day

Wastes Sequestered

  • Biosolids
  • Brine effluent
  • Tertiary effluent

Green House Gases sequestered:

– Over 55,250 MT CO2
– Over 37,400 MT CH4

Diagram of CLASS I Deep Injection Well at terminal island

A Permanent Solution for Managing Complex Waste

Selecting a site for an injection well requires balancing the subsurface, surface, and logistical considerations, and matching them to the waste type, equipment and financial requirements for the project.

The Experience and the Expertise

Our engineers and operational teams have the expertise to design and manage injection projects from start to finish with best practices acquired over decades.