Projects

Norseman Engineering specializes in the management, extraction and utilization of landfill gas through projects that work with local communities. These projects place emphasis on the safe management of landfill gas, while at the same time are solutions that are economically feasible. Projects generally fall into the three main categories of Extraction, Migration and Building Protection which are described below:

Landfill Gas Extraction

The landfill gas collection and utilization system. Landfill gas is collected at the wells and drawn towards the compressor compound, where it passes through the filter chamber, and the compressor pumps it towards the end user.

Landfill gas Extraction and Recovery projects remove landfill gas from landfills for their utilization as an alternative fuel source for local business and communities. Landfill gas is removed from the waste site via a gas collection system, consisting of wells and a network of PVC piping, and is delivered to the end user by an underground transmission pipeline. Paramount to the economic feasibility of such projects is the lower cost of landfill gas relative to natural gas, and the local proximity of end-users with a large natural gas energy requirement close to the collection site. Extraction projects have the dual benefit of reducing landfill gas emissions, while at the same time providing economic benefits to local business through reduced fuel costs. To this end, Norseman Engineering has designed and installed successful extraction projects at the Port Mann Landfill in Surrey, BC and the Jackman Landfill in the Township of Langley. The results of these projects represent millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas reductions and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel savings for the clients involved.

Migration Control

The migration control system. A blower compresses air to make an air curtain, which both prevents migration and kills the methanogenic bacteria which produce CO2.

In addition to landfills, landfill gas can accumulate in peat, near bogs, or in low lying areas of stagnant water and moist earth, which facilitate the degradation of organic material. Migration of these gasses can be both a safety risk and health issue to the local community. To prevent this from occurring, a migration containment system consisting of a pipeline network and wells, surrounds the affected area and contains the landfill gas. This allows the surrounding area to be safe for development without the risk of migration. A blower can be used to prevent migration, or if an economical use can be found, the gas can be siphoned off and utilized (see Landfill Gas Extraction, above). Migration projects have some maintenance costs and it is recommended that the site and surrounding area be regularly tested for migrating gas. Norseman Engineering has designed and constructed migration control projects with numerous cities and municipalities including the City of North Vancouver and the Resort Municipality of Whistler in British Columbia, Canada.

Building Protection

The building protection system. A blower forces air into a series of wells around the perimeter of the building in order to kill the methane producing bacteria and displace any existing landfill gas.

Buildings built upon ground where landfill gas is being formed or has migrated carry potentially dangerous health and explosion risks. The problem of landfill gas is often missed during building construction because the gas generally builds up over a long period of time, and could be overlooked in the initial site assessment. Similar to controlling landfill gas migration, a building protection system consisting of a network of wells is installed around the building site. Air from the atmosphere, is injected into these wells using a small blower located either inside or outside of the building. Methane producing bacteria are anaerobic and oxygen in the air is toxic to them. The injected air kills the methane bacteria and also displaces any existing methane. It is recommended that buildings be regularly tested for landfill gas throughout its use to ensure the effectiveness of the protection system, particularly in confined or low-lying areas of a building like basements or garages where gasses could collect.